By james art More than a dozen people addressed the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board Tuesday night, asking members to bring back the practice of prayer at the beginning of assemblies. The board began offering moments of silence instead in May.
The switch came after the district received a letter from the national nonprofit Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The organization called the practice of opening meetings with Christian prayers unconstitutional. Since then, the board has chosen to start with motivational quotes and moments of silence.
But board member Robert Barr asked that the issue be brought up again at their meeting Tuesday.
“I am concerned that the longstanding practice of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Boards in the past of praying non-sectarian prayers could be done away with tonight because of one complaint,” Barr said. “It makes us look weak and complacent. “
Ashley Wallace, a parent in the area, was one of several speakers who advocated continuing the prayer at the beginning of the meetings.
“No one is forced to pray. You are free not to pray,” Wallace said. “Why are we taking away the rights of so many people who benefit from prayer for someone who can simply choose not to pray? Where is the freedom of religion?’
Some speakers said it was their first time attending a school board meeting, but they were tight-lipped about the issue. Others have spoken out in support of the minute’s silence, saying it allows people of all different faiths to pray or reflect in their own way.
“I would like to believe that God would rather we all think and talk more about pertinent issues that we face every day in our schools than spend 30 minutes worrying about a small moment of meeting that many here are admitted they had never attended before,” said Forsyth County Educators Association President Jenny Easter.
The school board ultimately voted 6-3 to continue with a moment of silence before meetings instead of a prayer. The no votes belonged to board members Barr, Susan Miller and Steve Wood.
Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.