The board of education in Frederick County, Maryland, is considering minor changes to its policy on religious expression, after a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on religious expression at public schools.
The Frederick County Board of Education held a policy committee meeting in late August to discuss the policy changes. The first change would add a four-word update to the policy鈥檚 reference to the First Amendment鈥檚 free exercise clause on religious expression. The other two-word update would clarify that teachers cannot join students in religious activities.
The board’s says Frederick County Public Schools 鈥渟hould exercise neutrality toward religion in its policies.鈥�
The board is considering changes to its policy in the wake of a Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling on a religious freedoms case.
The nation鈥檚 highest court said in June that when a Seattle-area high school football coach silently prayed after games, he was protected by the Constitution. The coach鈥檚 praying had cost him his coaching job at Bremerton High School, The Associated Press reported.
Opponents of the Supreme Court’s decision said the football coach’s prayers had a coercive effect on students. The Associated Press reported that the decision’s opponents said the majority’s decision would open the door to 鈥渕uch more coercive prayer鈥� in public schools.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
