A lawyer for the Roosevelt STEAM Academy has confirmed that prayers will no longer be a part of the Indiana high school’s graduation ceremonies.

Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) president Brad Dacus concedes that the law is on the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s (FFRF) side in this case.

“Case law says the public schools cannot have prayer – in terms of formal invocation or benediction – as part of a program,” Dacus explains.

However, the attorney stresses that it’s important to remember that no school or organization can stifle a student from personally expressing his or her religious beliefs.

“If a school district goes and censors a student who has already earned that podium to speak at that graduation ceremony – like a valedictorian – and if they censor that student because of religious content, they are themselves begging for a lawsuit,” Dacus points out.

The attorney encourages parents to become familiar with information about the religious rights of their children in public schools – information that’s available through PJI’s Reclaim Your School document.