A Victory for Prayer: Judges Decide that "The Constitution does not ban citizens or elected officials from invoking Divine guidance and blessings upon our public work"
"The court today has delivered a serious blow to the ACLU by affirming that the far left can no longer bully its way into court without any proven, concrete injury."
(Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana)—According to a report by the Christian Post, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, last Wednesday, revoked a ban on opening public school board meetings, in Tangipahoa Parish, with prayer.
The ruling is seen as a blow to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which had brought numerous lawsuits, over 13 years, against the school board for praying before meetings. In February 2005, the case had gone before federal district court judge Ginger Berrigan—who interestingly enough was a former state president of the ACLU. She ruled that according to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the board must stop opening their meetings with prayer.
However, attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed an appeal, and after looking over the case, ruled to overturn the previous decision by the district court.
Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel for the ADF remarked, "The practice of opening public meetings with prayer is and always has been lawful and appropriate."
He added, "The Constitution does not ban citizens or elected officials from invoking Divine guidance and blessings upon our public work."
