Community Prays on School Grounds after Officials Stopped Students from Leading Pre-Game Prayer

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Oct 07, 2014

Community Prays on School Grounds after Officials Stopped Students from Leading Pre-Game Prayer

Members of the Thomasville, North Carolina community gathered at Ledford High School on Friday (Oct. 3) to pray on the football field. The community decided to hold a prayerful protest after Ledford students were denied access to the stadium’s PA system to lead fans in prayer before a football game. 

Student Samantha Warwick started the tradition of a pre-game prayer last year.

She said, "I'm kind of disappointed that someone would try to take something that so many students were in support of." 

Warwick, along with the supporting community, decided to handle the situation in a “godly manner,” she said. 

Abbott’s Creek Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Mark Hollar organized with area pastors to plan the peaceful protest. 

"Our parents and our students have the freedom to be here and they will be pray,” Hollar said. 

The protested attracted hundreds of students and supporters; the group said the Lord’s Prayer together. 

According to a North Carolina law enacted in summer 2014, schools cannot deny students to pray silently or aloud, individually or in groups.  

Publication date: October 7, 2014



Community Prays on School Grounds after Officials Stopped Students from Leading Pre-Game Prayer