Following a complaint from the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Naperville school district is banning "team prayers" at high school sporting events.

District 203 Superintendent Dan Bridges says the ban includes any coach-led prayer at all Naperville Central High School and Naperville North High School student athletic events. But according to the Chicago Tribune, the critics say that doesn't go far enough:

Jayne, in a letter of reply Thursday, told Bridges foundation members "appreciate this assurance, but it does not go far enough."

"As explained briefly in our original letter, it is unconstitutional for public school employees to participate in the religious activities of their students," Jayne told Bridges.

"Any reasonable observer would understand a coach's participation in a religious activity with students as an endorsement of that religious message."

This all started when the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a complaint after seeing a photo that appears to show Naperville Central players kneeling in prayer before a game.

If you're not familiar with the organization, the FFRF has made news over the past few years making complaints and filing lawsuits like this. They claim 23,000 members across the U.S. and state its purpose as protecting "the constitutional principle of separation between church and state."

 

 

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