Group calls out Orrville City Schools Board of Education over prayer before meetings – Wooster Daily Record

ORRVILLE An organization known for promoting the separation of church and state is taking City Schools to task for praying at school board meetings.

TheFreedomFromReligion Foundationnotified the Board of Educationvia a Dec. 22 email that opening the monthly public meetings with a Christian prayer"is beyond the scope of a public-school board,according to rulings and precedents made by the Supreme Court.

The school district is reviewing the matter with its legal counsel, said Superintendent Jon Ritchie, and may discuss the issue at a future board meeting.

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Karen Heineman, a staff attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said the organization was contactedin Octoberby aparent who lives in the school district and who attended a recent school board meeting that was openedwith a prayer.

The letter to the boardstated,the prayer witnessed by our complainant was Christian and ended with our savior Jesus Christ, andnoted the prayer camebefore the pledge of allegiance,thefirst item listed on many of the school boardagendas.

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"Board memberWayne Steinerpromotes his personal religious beliefs at board meetings and has been hostile to the expression of other religious views, according to the foundation's letter.

Heineman said that may have swayed the boards vote onmask requirements.

There had been someinitialtalk, (the board)seemedto be leaning towardthe mask mandate. The one board member promoted his views that basicallyGod decides how long we're going to be here with orwithout amask.And then the vote went the otherway.

School districtpoliciesstatethe boardis prohibited from discriminating againstanyone based on several personalaspects,includingtheir religion.Heineman said prayer at public meetings and allowing board membersto sharetheirpersonal viewsnegates those policies.

Even the district policies ... say board members have the responsibility to be representative to be responsive, and that the board doesn't discriminateon the basis ofreligion, Heineman said. I think when you haveaChristian prayer opening every board meeting, and when you have somebody expressing his personal religious beliefs, they aren't even following their own policies.

An email and a phone call to Steiner through the board office were not returned.

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Board President Greg Roadruck confirmed the board says a prayer before eachmeeting, describing the intent of the prayeras a moment tocometogetherrather than a push for any one set ofbeliefs.

Our intent is not to force anything on anybody or anything like that, Roadruck said.The intent of a prayer, in my opiniononly, is that it's to clear our mindand make sure we're thinking not just(about)ourselves butthe entire community.

Roadruck said the prayer is said beforethe meeting is called toorderso that it is not a part of the meeting.

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While the board has not met since the letter was sent, Roadruck said, the prayer matter will be reviewedto ensure the board is following the rules.

We take an oath,I'll take it again here shortly, to uphold the Constitutionandall the laws of the state of Ohio," Roadruck said. "Sowe do have to go by that,so that's whatwe'lldo.

Heineman said thefoundation is awaiting the board's official response to theletter.

As of Dec. 27,Superintendent Jon Ritchie said all board members had received a copy of the letter and arereviewingitindependently.Ritchie also said the districts legal counsel is reviewing the letter and the matter may be addressed at afutureboardmeeting.

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Any changes to how the school board conducts itsmeetings are yet to be determined, however,Roadruck saidhedoes not wantthe matter to become a long-termissue.

Personally,I(may)have different thoughts,maybe, Roadruck said.But legally, we are bound by thelaws of the stateand I'm notgonnawaste any taxpayersmoney on fightingOhio laws or theConstitution.

Reach Rachel Karas atrkaras@gannett.com

On Twitter:@RachelKaras3

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Group calls out Orrville City Schools Board of Education over prayer before meetings - Wooster Daily Record