No more pre-game prayer at Blount County Schools football games

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Student or volunteer-led prayer will no longer be allowed over the loud-speakers before high school football games in the Blount County School District starting this Friday.

The decision comes following a complaint filed by the Freedom from Religion Foundation against a Blount County school over saying a pre-game prayer over the intercom before high school football games claiming the prayers are inappropriate and and unconstitutional.

“The complaint alleges that because we are doing that over the PA system, that it is inappropriate,” Blount County Schools Superintendent Rodney Green Green told ABC33/40. “That is something that we have had to go back and examine, and we have decided to go back and make a change in that practice.”

According to CBS 42, Green said the District discussed the complaint with attorneys and they will now pause for a moment of silence before each home game rather than saying a prayer.

In God We Trust

Blount County Schools also made headlines recently when they took action to become the first Alabama school to bring God back to the school district by displaying “In God We Trust” at the various schools within the county.

In August, Green told AL.com a policy could be drafted within the next month.

“In God We Trust” has been the official motto of the United States since 1956 and back in March, the State Legislature passed HB228: The National Motto “In God We Trust” Act, which allows the national motto to be placed on government agencies and offices, in and on public buildings, including public school classrooms across the state.