Prayer Rally This Weekend at Airline High School
A rally celebrating the right to freedom of religion is being held at Airline High School this weekend.
It's set for 8AM tomorrow in the northeast corner parking lot on the school's campus. The rally is being put on by Louisiana Power Coalition in response to the Louisiana ACLU's letter to Bossier Schools Superintendent D.C. Machen. It it, the organization demanded that religion be removed from the school district.
The demands stemmed from Airline's Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization, which put up prayer request boxes throughout the school, and from Principal Jason Rowland signing off in an online letter with "May God bless you all."
U.S. Senator David Vitter is scheduled to attend tomorrow's rally.
"I'm joining the students and parents of Airline High School tomorrow morning to demonstrate - peacefully and through prayer - that the far-left's attempt to trample on Louisiaians' constitutional rights will not stop us from pursuing what is right," Vitter said in a news release. "Practicing one's religion is not a political issue and should not be made one. The ACLU's anti-freedom actions are contemptible. I will always fight for Louisianians' inherent right to practice their religion freely."
Also, at the Bossier Parish School Board's meeting this week, board members took official action by issuing a formal statement to answer to the ACLU's allegations:
The Bossier Parish School Board is committed to honoring state and federal law as it
relates to the rights of all students, regardless of their religious beliefs. Within the last week, the ACLU has complained about alleged practices at Airline High School relative to prayer, the principal’s monthly messages, prayer boxes and the content of the school’s website. The system has also received Freedom Guard’s open response to the ACLU’s allegations and legal analysis.
The Board’s counsel has investigated the allegations raised by the ACLU and found
them to be without a factual or legal basis. At the same time, the Board wishes to publicly
reaffirm its intent to operate a successful school district in which equal access is recognized and the legal rights of all students are respected, including those of its students who wish to engage in student-led, student-initiated religious expression.
This Statement is being entered into the official minutes of this Board and released to
the press. Copies are being sent to the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education,
members of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Executive Director of the Louisiana School Board Association as such persons and entities, along with the members of our school communities and parents, are stake-holders in our school system.
The Board and its administration welcome meaningful discussion of this and any issue
but will base their decisions on the law and facts as they know them to exist. Decisions in the best interest of our students can never result from threats and intimidation.