A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a Florida school district’s policy of permitting student-led prayers at high school graduations.
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled by a 10-2 margin that a policy allowing “student messages” that may or may not include a prayer does not violate the separation of church and state.
Previously, a three-judge panel of the appellate court ruled the prayer messages illegal.
The full court intervened on behalf of the Duval County School Board in Jacksonville, Fla., by granting a hearing and setting aside the panel’s decision pending a final ruling, which the court issued March 15.
The policy, enacted by a former superintendent after the school district’s long tradition of graduation prayers was declared unconstitutional in 1992, lets each senior class decide whether to include a tow-minute opening or closing message and select the student to give it. School officials may not regulate the content of the student messages, which can be on any topic the student chooses.
(TAB)
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