Franklin students, parents pray to have their way

Louisburg, N.C. — Residents of Franklin County took their dispute with the school system to a higher court Friday evening. Outside the county courthouse, they gathered to pray for the return of prayer to high school graduation ceremonies.

The Franklin County school board voted unanimously to remove the prayer after a parent filed a complaint with the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina.

While they may disagree with the law, they voted to uphold it nonetheless.

"The law was very clear on this point, that the government could not be sponsoring prayers," ACLU of North Carolina legal director Chris Brook said.

Graduating seniors who attended Friday's vigil said it was their rights at stake.

Jessica Woodburn, a member of the Class of 2012, said, "I believe with every depth of my heart that this is right, that this is what we're called to do, to bring glory to God."

Friday's gathering offered the community a chance to pray for their graduating seniors outside of the pomp and circumstance of their official commencement.

"It's so exciting," said soon-to-be grad Vanessa Parker. "It feels great that we have so much support from the community."

Franklin County's three high schools Franklinton, Louisburg and Bunn graduate on Saturday at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively.

6 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 6 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments

Good for these parents that continue to pray and teach their kids how to make a stand for God. Kids follow us as parents, our example. if parents run from a situation, thats how kids learn to run away from problems. if parents hit it head on and confront it, kids learn the same ways. a cycle in which GOD created :) love it or hate it, it is what it is.

NCgirl87
June 12, 2012 12:57 p.m.

Here we go again...1 person has a problem with prayer and it is taken from all of us! I'm sick of MY rights being tromped on...I have the right to pray if I want!!! If you don't like it, wear earplugs!!!!!!!

Wendellcatlover
June 12, 2012 9:04 a.m.

What’s so hard about understanding the law and the Constitution? School led prayer is the same as state supported religion. That’s a no-no. Doesn’t matter how religious a person you might be, or how important they think worshipping their god is, the bottom line is that there is to be a separation of church and state.

When it comes to school/state sponsored events, there should be no praying, no voodoo dances, no sacrificed chickens, or whatever it is that someone’s religion and gods might call for. It’s that plain and simple.

Now personally, I don’t have a problem with prayers as that’s what I’ve grown up with. But when the practice is called upon to stop, then it should.

Lightfoot3
June 11, 2012 11:54 a.m.

It's bad enough that we have religion-based laws that make no sense unless you follow that religion. Trying to put prayer into public school? Keep your religion out of our government. And vice-versa. Faith is great to have- just don't tell us, via law, which one to follow.