MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) – The Lord’s Prayer is no longer being recited at Berkeley County School Board meetings.
The Post and Courier of Charleston reports that when Tuesday’s meeting opened, instead of the tradition of reciting the prayer, board chairman Jim Hayes called for a moment of silence.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote board members this month noting that reciting the prayer violates constitutional freedom of religion protections because it is a Christian prayer.
Hayes says the board could continue saying the prayer and face a lawsuit. Other options included a non-sectarian prayer, inviting various religious groups to present the invocation, a moment of silence or removing the invocation from the board agenda.
The newspaper reported that board members agreed that saying the Lord’s Prayer has run its course.
