Pennsylvania High School Replaces Prayer with Moment of Silence
- Updated Jun 09, 2016
There will be no prayer at this year’s graduation ceremony at a Pennsylvania high school after the school board members voted to replace prayer with a moment of silence.
According to The Reading Eagle, the issue of allowing prayer at graduation in Pottsgrove High School was raised last year when a parent (who is also the school board’s president) complained that a student had gone off script and prayed a Christian prayer instead of the set nondenominational one.
The school board then held a special school board meeting to discuss the issue. Many students were present at the meeting as well.
More than 20 people voiced their opinions at the meeting. Some were in favor of keeping prayer a part of the commencement ceremony while others disagreed.
Many of the students were disappointed that their graduation, which will take place on June 15, seemed to be overshadowed by the controversy.
“Graduation is supposed to be about sending off the seniors,” senior Caroline Remelius said. “To have this community practically eat each other alive is just sad.”
SRNNews.com reports that School solicitor Marc Davis said it was unlikely the board could have ratified a prayer policy in time for the ceremony, even if they had chosen to approve it.
Publication date: June 9, 2016
