Letter to the editor: Keep it inclusive, secular and neutral at public school meetings – Akron Beacon Journal

Orrville school board prayer wrong

Regarding the Jan. 2article, 'Orrville school board prayer criticized,I agree that no prayer should be held in a public school board meeting as it is wrong and must stop.

As a local atheist, I wanted to applaud and publicly support the local parent who brought attention to this issue. Public school board members were elected to represent everyone in the Orrvilledistrict, and therefore must be inclusive, secularand neutral in their official duties to include every taxpayer in their community. The school board president stated that the prayer was said before the meeting is called to order, which suggests he may recognize that the prayer may be seen as unconstitutional and that the board is just trying to find a loophole to do what they want.

It is also concerning to read that another school board member may have used his religious beliefs to discourage a mask wearing policy; this is ridiculous because science shows that wearing a mask and getting vaccinated are ways to save lives, fight a deadly virusand keep public schools open. The Freedom from Religion Foundation is right to send a letter to the district because the Orrville school district's own policy doesn't discriminate on the basis of religion.

I would like to add that a moment of silence would not be an option either, and I strongly oppose Ohio Senate Bill 248 that was introduced in Octoberto potentially mandate this activity in Ohio public schools. If we want every student, parent, guardian or resident to feel welcomed and fully participating in any school activity, then keeping schools neutral without religion is the only way to run a public school.

Nancy Dollard, Lake Township

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Letter to the editor: Keep it inclusive, secular and neutral at public school meetings - Akron Beacon Journal