WSMV Channel 4 Some oppose effort to allow teachers in religious activity

Some oppose effort to allow teachers in religious activity

There's a new effort to allow teachers and coaches to pray with students, not in the classroom, but before and after school.

When Cheatham County students recently led a prayer at the flagpole, their teachers observed from across the street.

That is because teacher participation in religious activities like prayer at the flagpole has led to legal challenges in places like Cheatham and Sumner counties.

"Coaches that are sponsors of Fellowship of Christian Athletes - before and after school, during voluntary activities, when no one is forced to be there - they should be allowed to exercise their free right for expression," said Rep. Phillip Johnson, R-Pegram.

And Rep. Johnson has a bill that would do just that. It would allow teachers to participate in student-initiated activities before and after school on campus.

"It's just to bring some clarity, so that the school boards understand their limitations on what they can and can't do to restrict their First Amendment rights," Johnson said.

The ACLU has filed and settled lawsuits on behalf of upset parents in both Sumner and Cheatham counties.

"We like to recognize that public schools are not Sunday schools," said Hedy Weinberg, with the ACLU of Tennessee.

Opponents say kids are impressionable and if they see their teacher participating in religious activity, they might feel pressured to do the same, regardless of parental wishes.

"I would hope that our attorney general would look at the legislation and would opine at this point it is foolish to pass a law that could jeopardize religious freedom but also become quite costly," Weinberg said.

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