Prayer at Willard graduation spurs seniors to demand apology from superintendent
Claudette Riley
Updated 5:06 p.m. CT May 15, 2017
A group of Willard High School seniors demanded a public apology after Superintendent Kent Medlin credited his "savior," quoted the Bible, and asked the crowd to stand and join him in prayer during a commencement speech Saturday at JQH Arena.
The students allege the longtime leader, who retires next month, went too far.
"I came there to graduate, not go to church. It kind of ruined the rest of my night," said Preston Schaeffer, a senior. "That was the last night of my high school experience and he chose to talk about religion instead of graduation."
The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that prayers at public school-sanctioned events, including graduation, violate the Establishment Clause — which protects against, among other things, the promotion of one religion over another — and forces an individual to choose between attending a school event or avoiding prayer.
http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2017/05/15/prayer-willard-graduation-spurs-seniors-demand-apology-superintendent/101705392/
