U.S. School Official Sacked for Asking Students to Join Him in Prayer During Their Graduation Day
A school official has just been relieved from his post after being censured by higher authorities for quoting the Bible and asking the graduating students to join him in prayer during their graduation ceremony.
Superintendent Kent Medlin had previously notified the Willard School District in Willard, Missouri that he is retiring this year and that he was only scheduled to work until June 30, the Springfield News-Leader reported.
Nevertheless, the Willard school board, in a "symbolic move," voted to immediately get rid of Medlin by placing him on a "paid leave of absence" until the end of this month. Medlin has held his position in the district for the past 14 years.
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"[This] action was based upon the board's belief that Dr. Medlin's High School Commencement speech violated Board of Education policies regarding prayer at school sponsored events," a statement from the school board stated.
As CP previously reported, a group of Willard High School graduates demanded an apology from the school last month, charging that Medlin violated the Establishment Clause when he used Christian terms throughout his speech and invited students to stop by his school office to discuss the "Lord."
In several instances, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that prayers at public school-sanctioned events, including graduation, violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause — which prohibits the government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion" and also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another.
Preston Schaeffer, one of the graduating students offended by Medlin's speech, said, "I came there to graduate, not go to church," adding that, "it kind of ruined the rest of my night."
Medlin admitted that he did offer a blessing for the students, but that he did not mean to upset anyone. He also conveyed his apology to any person who felt offended by his remarks.
"If my behavior was offensive to anyone then I am truly sorry," he said. "I in no way wanted to offend anybody. That was not my intention."
Medlin said he gave a speech using the acronym GUTS, with the first three letters standing for grit, understanding and teamwork. He then said the last letter, "S," is what everyone needs. "For me, that S stands for my savior," he told the audience.
