When a teacher at a public school in Mississippi put up a box for student prayer requests in the classroom and offered to pray for her students, she and her school were immediately threatened with a lawsuit by an atheist organisation, Charisma News reported.
The Appignani Humanist Legal Center, a division of the American Humanist Association, recently sent a letter to the Mississippi school district, threatening to file a lawsuit if the teacher, Randi Rogers, did not remove her prayer request board in her classroom at the Oak Grove Middle School (OGMS) in Lamar County School District, Mississippi.
"The teacher's actions in displaying the 'Prayer Requests' board, which she seems to acknowledge is illegal, and her insistence on continuing to take prayer requests and keep the board up—even if she must remove the word 'prayer'—violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment," the letter read.
The Lamar County School District (LCSD) complied with the letter and even sent memos to all principals, teachers and staff directing them not to promote prayer or religion in school.
"After consultation with our board attorney and discussion with the LCSD board, a decision has been made to remove the prayer request board at OGMS," Superintendent Tess R. Smith wrote. "I am writing to everyone to remind you that, as public employees, you must refrain from using public classrooms to promote religion and prayer specifically."
But even though the school district caved in to the request of the atheist group, other people are expressing their support to Rogers. A Facebook page called "Support Mrs. Randi Rogers" has been put up by concerned individuals, and this has already attracted over 2,800 supporters as of Sunday.
"I support Mrs Rogers 100 percent! I'm proud to know there is a teacher that my children can go to with their needs. Prayer being first and foremost!" Lisa Boyer Gatwood-Ragusa commented.
"A teacher who cares about her students enough to pray for them... Give her a RAISE!!!" Paul Roller also wrote.
