Kansas School Board Throws Caution to the Wind, Votes for Prayer at School Events

Written by Don Byrd
The school board in Liberal, Kansas met earlier this week and discussed the possibility of returning prayer to official school events including using the loudspeaker at football games for “student-led prayer.” After the suggestion was raised that they at least slow down to get a legal opinion first, the board decided to move ahead and vote for the prayer policy anyway.

Context Matters in School Displays of Religion

Written by Don Byrd
There is a big difference between praying with students and educating students about religions of the world. It is the difference between promoting religion and studying about religion. To be sure, walking that line can be tricky and should be only done thoughtfully. It sure sounds like officials of the Minneha Core Knowledge Elementary School in Wichita, Kansas were trying to do just that in exposing children to elements of religions. But outcry over a bulletin board describing the Five Pillars of Islam convinced them to remove it.

As Charles Haynes notes in his column today, if we are going to allow teaching *about* religion – as the Constitution allows – then we have to be willing to include in that discussion Islam and other culturally influential faiths.

Kansas Judge: Prison Minister Privilege Does Not Require Ordination

Written by Don Byrd
A prisoner’s communication with a person reasonably believed by that prisoner to be clergy, who regularly engages in prison ministry, does not have to be ordained for those communications to be privileged.That is the conclusion of a federal judge in Kansas, overturning a magistrate judge’s ruling that such communication could be used to prosecute the prison minister because she was not ordained.

Kansas Governor Signs Religious Freedom Bill

Written by Don Byrd
Governor Sam Brownback signed Kansas’ version of a Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law Wednesday. The measure prohibits the state from substantially burdening religious exercise unless it can demonstrate a compelling interest. Actions by the federal government are governed by federal RFRA legislation, but federal government concerns seem to have inspired the Kansas bill.