A district sports coach in Kansas will stop leading his team members in prayer before games. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Kansas —

FFRF has worked with the Twin Valley Schools system to ensure that a district sports coach will stop leading his team members in prayer before games.

A student reported that the head baseball coach at Bennington High School was leading his team in prayer on the field before each game. Additionally, the student reported that the coach threatened punishment for players who didn’t participate in the prayers.

“Here, [the coach] has clearly crossed the constitutional line by pressuring student-athletes into engaging in prayer while acting in his official capacity as a District employee,” FFRF Anne Nicol Gaylor Legal Fellow Kyle J. Steinberg wrote to the district.

District Superintendent Pam Irwin investigated the situation. “The district recognizes the importance of maintaining clear boundaries consistent with applicable U.S. constitutional law, state statue and Board of Education policy,” Irwin wrote. Additionally, detailed instruction was given to staff, reminding them not to utilize their position to advance religion, any prayer conducted at school activities must be optional and student-led, and all employees were not permitted to distribute religious materials in district settings.

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A Board of Trustees in Indiana stopped asking potential appointees to act in accordance with “the values of God” as part of its interview process. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Indiana —

FFRF got involved after hearing that the East Noble School Corporation Board of Trustees in Indiana asked potential appointees to act in accordance with “the values of God” as part of its interview process.

FFRF learned that at the Aug. 20, 2025, meeting of the board of trustees, board members interviewed candidates for a vacant school board position. Reportedly, one of the questions asked of each prospective member was, “Will you do what is right in accordance of the values of God and do what he thinks is right even when you’re alone?” A candidate who said that she was not religious but had a strong moral compass was asked, “Where do you think that moral compass comes from?”

In a letter, FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler reminded the district that it is unconstitutional to require prospective appointees to a government position to affirm their faith in any religion.

The board contacted outside legal counsel in order to steer them back in the right direction. “We received your letter regarding a religions test posed by a board member to a potential appointee,” legal representative Paul Bowman wrote. “We have advised the board against such practices.” Bowman additionally inquired about any literature FFRF could provide to act as an educational reference to help avoid further constitutional violations in the future.

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Meetings at a Township Committee in New Jersey will no longer begin with a prayer delivered by government officials. (Jan/Feb 2026)

New Jersey —

FFRF’s work ensured that the West Deptford Township Committee in New Jersey meetings would no longer begin with a prayer delivered by government officials.

A community member reported that Mayor James Mehaffey was leading committee members and attendees in the Lord’s Prayer prior to the Pledge of Allegiance at every Township Committee meeting. The official minutes of the May 1, 2025, meeting stated that the “Pledge of Allegiance and prayer were recited.” Multiple citizens reportedly asked the committee to cease the practice and replace it with a moment of silence, but the prayer continued to occur at the beginning of the meeting, leaving multiple citizens upset and feeling discriminated against due to the committee imposing an explicitly Christian prayer on them.

“The mayor and committee members are free to pray privately or to worship on their own time in their own way,” FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler wrote. “They do not need to worship on taxpayers’ time.”

While FFRF never received any response from the mayor or the committee themselves, the complainant brought good news that the practice ended.

“As of the last three months, our mayor has not started public township meetings with a Christian prayer,” the community member wrote. “The meetings have been opened solely by a pledge to the American flag.”

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A school system in North Carolina took corrective action after FFRF discovered that school staff were directing meetings of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. (Jan/Feb 2026)

North Carolina —

The Whiteville City Schools system in North Carolina took corrective action after FFRF discovered that school staff were using their roles to direct meetings of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

A community member informed FFRF that Whiteville High School’s FCA chapter was being led by multiple teachers at the school. Reportedly, these teachers were leading the meetings during school hours, during the school’s flex period, accompanied by outside community members and a youth pastor from Western Prong Baptist Church.

“Allowing religious clubs preferential access to school time to proselytize and recruit students for religious activities is a violation of the Establishment Clause,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district.

Thanks to FFRF’s work, action was taken and school employees have been removed from club organization roles. “I met with the staff members named in Ms. Gude’s letter along with the principal of the school,” wrote Jonathan B. Williams, the district’s superintendent. “I read them the main points of the letter and emphasized the contents of the final paragraph. They assured me that all meetings will be originated, organized and led by students without their influence or participation.”

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An evangelist in Pickerington, Ohio used a school assembly to invite students to his church. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Ohio —

FFRF made sure that a religious illusionist wouldn’t pull another trick on the Pickering Schools System in Pickerington, Ohio, after the evangelist used a school assembly to invite students to his church.

Several concerned parents reported that on Sept. 29, 2025, Harmon Middle School permitted an adult magician and evangelist, David Corn, to perform for students during a school assembly. The assembly took place on school property during the school day, and after the performance, Corn allegedly gave students free tickets to a religious event billed as a “magic show” later that week at a local church. Corn’s website describes his scheme: “Primarily, we enter public schools, hold morality talks, and invite young people to church for a bigger illusion show where I preach the gospel. Hundreds of first-time visitors have come to church, heard the gospel and trusted Christ!”

The parent informed FFRF that their children were excited about going to the “magic show” event and that they had to disappoint their children and try to explain why the show did not align with their families’ views.

“The school’s actions also needlessly marginalized district students, including our complainants’ children, and staff who are nonreligious, as well as those who believe in minority faiths,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district.

FFRF’s work paid off as district Superintendent Charles Smialek confirmed in an email apologizing for the event. “We acknowledge that we violated our own policy by allowing this gentleman to distribute tickets to his religious event at his church,” Smialek wrote. “This was unexpected and should not have occurred. We have reminded our principals in our monthly meeting format to not allow for repeat lapses.”

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A public school system in Oklahoma is making sure all clubs are not interfering with the separation of state and church. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Oklahoma —

The Muskogee Public Schools system in Oklahoma informed FFRF that schools within the district would be reviewed in order to make sure all clubs are not interfering with the separation of state and church.

Multiple community members reported that Irving Elementary School was organizing, promoting and opting all students into a religious club, Kids for Christ. A complainant stated that on Sept. 23, 2025, their child came home with a form to opt out of attending a Kids for Christ club that was meeting every Thursday morning at school in students’ “designated pods.” The form had been handed out to students by school staff. The form additionally included explicitly religious imagery such as the bible and advertises religious events, including “See You at the Pole.” Further, the form instructed parents to opt out of the club by returning the signed form to the school office.

“The plain meaning of this permission slip indicates that all students at Irving Elementary School will be attending and participating in Kids for Christ unless their parent or guardian returns the opt out form,” FFRF Staff Attorney Sammi Lawrence wrote to the district. “In other words, the elementary school is unilaterally creating, organizing, running, and signing elementary school students up for an overtly Christian club on school property.”

Upon receiving FFRF’s letter, the district conducted an investigation, and Executive Director of Elementary/Student Services Ginger Baker detailed the steps included in the investigation, which included: “The district meeting with administration to further explore student clubs at each site and handling of materials that may not meet federal or state requirements regarding separation between state and church.”

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A Tennessee elementary school has multiple unconstitutional religious entanglements in school activities. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Tennessee —

After learning of a Tennessee elementary school’s multiple unconstitutional religious entanglements in school activities, FFRF contacted the Gibson County Special School District.

FFRF learned of multiple violations occurring in the district. On Sept. 22, 2025, Gideons International was permitted to distribute its New Testaments to fifth-grade students at Yorkville Elementary School. A Facebook post from the school’s official page included a staged photo of students with bibles that read, “Thank you to Gideons for their yearly delivery of New Testaments for our 5th graders!” Gideons International is “an evangelical association that equips and mobilizes Christian business and professional men, along with their wives, to share God’s word.”

Additionally, the school promoted a See You at the Pole event on the page. A post on Sept. 24 about the event showed students gathered with an adult speaking to them for the religious event. Another violation included a Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony, which included a closing prayer.

Finally, while Yorkville Elementary is complying with Tennessee law by displaying “In God We Trust” in the hallway, the complainant reported that a Christian cross was also displayed with the motto.

“The district’s continual support for religion, Christianity in particular, excludes a significant number of nonreligious students and families,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Charlotte R. Gude wrote to the district. “Thirty-eight percent of the American population is non-Christian, including the almost 30 percent who are nonreligious.”

Despite the multiple violations, FFRF is pleased to report that the district has worked to remove religious influence from official school communications and activities. FFRF received an email from Eddie Pruett, director of schools, stating that he spoke with the principal in regard to the issues. Pruett confirmed that the school Facebook page will not be used to promote either Gideon bibles or See You at the Pole events, students will not be leading prayer at school sponsored events, and the cross had been removed from school property.

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An Independent School District in Texas will not include any religious speakers at graduation ceremonies. (Jan/Feb 2026)

Texas —

FFRF was able to convince the Ponder Independent School District in Texas not to include any religious speakers at graduation ceremonies in the future.

A district parent informed FFRF of a pre-planned prayer at Ponder High School’s May 2025 graduation ceremony. Both a pre-planned innovation and a benediction were delivered at the ceremony. FFRF received a picture of the graduation ceremony agenda that confirmed the religious contents of the event.

“The popularity of including prayer is immaterial. Courts have continually reaffirmed that the rights of minorities are nonetheless protected by the Constitution,” Then-FFRF Patrick O’Reilly Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote to the district.

After FFRF sent the letter in September 2025, it did not hear any response from the district until after sending a follow-up letter at the end of November. Superintendent James Hill confirmed that the message received was clear, and that the district would not make the same mistake going forward. “There will not be a preplanned invocation or benediction on the agenda this year,” Hill wrote.

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Tarrant County Unveils New Ten Commandments Monument On Historic Fort Worth Courthouse Lawn

Dallas Express (Dallas, TX)
By Joe Edwards

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Sher­iff responds to con­ver­sion com­plaint

The Oklahoman
By Carla Hinton

The post Sher­iff responds to con­ver­sion com­plaint appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.