Student Prayer Club Satisfies All Sides On Church-State Issues

Georgetown, South Carolina school officials have found a way to allow students to open their school day with prayer, yet satisfy church-state concerns of groups such as Americans United (AU statement) which complained about Georgetown High School's long-standing practice of permitting a local resident to hand out Bible verses and lead students in prayer in the morning before school. School officials told resident Violet Infinger that she could no longer hand out religious literature inside the school. (UPI, 2/9.) At the same time, however, the school helped students form a Prayer Club in a manner that complies with the federal Equal Access Act. The Club will be student-led, and will meet each morning on school grounds for 13 minutes before school begins. Students can invite ministers and lay people to attend the Club's prayer sessions so long as the invitees meet school requirements for volunteers. (WBTW 13 News).