Optional prayer meetings are fine as long as they are not organized or endorsed by the faculty. Those quotes in the memo seem pretty damning however. In the memo, he quoted a Christian article that said that the First Amendment only applies to Christianity. Some people were rightfully shocked to find out that their principal did not think they had First Amendment rights to freedom of religion. Now he says that he did not endorse the quote, yet does he believe it?
Clay County, Fla. -- Clay Hill Elementary principal Larry Davis is drawing criticisms from across the country.
It all started with a school memo. Davis informed his staff that a local pastor would be holding weekly prayer sessions underneath the school's flag.
In the memo to about 40 faculty members, Davis quoted an article from a Christian website stating, "Our children need God back in schools," and he is calling Christians nationwide to bring back "the Holy Bible and Christian prayer to schools."
That sparked one parent to take action, calling Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation.
"Utterly unacceptable in a principal, I do not think he should be a principal at a public school," said the group's co-president, Laurie Allie Gaylor.
Davis went on to quote, "The First Amendment was for Christianity, not other religions."
"That would be like if he had sent out a newsletter to the school saying the First Amendment or the constitution was only for white people," said Gaylor.
Davis said he didn't have time for an interview and that he didn't endorse the quotes. The Clay County Schools superintendent stated at a recent school board meeting that Davis' comments were over the line.[1]
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