The initial complaint dates back to August 20, 2014 with a letter being sent to the primaries involved. On February 10, 2015,
The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit yesterday challenging the infliction of daily prayer upon a captive audience of elementary school children in the Emanuel County School System, Swainsboro, Ga.That sets the stage for the following:
Defendants include Superintendent Kevin Judy, Swainsboro Primary School Principal Valorie Watkins, Swainsboro Primary School teacher Kaytrene Bright and Swainsboro primary school teacher Cel Thompson. Anonymous co-plaintiffs are Jane and John Doe, and their young children, Jesse and Jamie Doe.
"Encouraging the Doe children to pray, or isolating and punishing the Doe children for electing not to pray, violates the deeply and sincerely held moral convictions of the Doe children and therefore their First Amendment rights," reads FFRF's legal complaint.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation has settled a lawsuit with Emanuel County School District in Swainsboro, Ga., after stopping teacher-led prayer and proselytization in its public schools.FFRF court victory: Ga. school stops school prayer - Freedom From Religion Foundation
After a concerned family encountering teacher-led prayer in kindergarten and first grade classrooms contacted the national state/church watchdog, FFRF sent a letter in August 2014 to the school district.
No changes were made to halt the illegal activity. Teachers continued to inflict prayer upon elementary school students as part of the school day, resulting in bullying and ostracism of students "Jesse and Jamie Doe." This February, FFRF filed suit on behalf of the family, seeking corrective action from the district and financial compensation for the harm suffered by the family.
Today, after reaching an agreement with the school district, FFRF is dismissing its lawsuit. Emanuel teachers have received educational training on their obligations not to promote religious beliefs in their classrooms and the Doe family has been financially compensated for harm they suffered.
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"We're pleased that the Emanuel County Schools has taken action to correct the egregious constitutional violations that were taking place in its classrooms," said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. "No devotions and religious practices should take place in public schools, and no small child should ever be pressured to take part in such illegal practices. More than 50 years of clear Supreme Court precedent bar such coercive conduct, because religion in schools is divisive and builds walls between children."
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