Texas —
FFRF brought the Wylie Independent School District in Abilene, Texas, back in line with the Constitution after the district allowed multiple official expressions of religious favoritism at school sponsored events.
An employee and community member informed FFRF that the school board had been commencing monthly meetings with prayer. These invocations were scheduled at the beginning of meetings along with the roll call. For instance, an invocation was scheduled at the board’s Nov. 11, 2024, regular meeting. Despite being in public minutes, the district’s actual roll call and invocation were not livestreamed on its official YouTube page. FFRF was also informed that prayers were being delivered over the loudspeaker at district football games.
“By having prayer at official school events, the district abridges that constitutional duty and needlessly marginalizes students who are a part of the 49 percent of Generation Z who are religiously unaffiliated,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote to the district.
After receiving FFRF’s letter, the district sought legal counsel, and, at a later date, received an email response from Superintendent Joey Light, writing, “We are going to make necessary corrections. Thank you.” While the district did not specify exactly what steps were being taken, they confirmed that changes would be made in response to concerns about official prayer at board meetings and football games.
The post FFRF brought the Wylie Independent School District in Abilene, Texas, back in line with the Constitution (August 2025) appeared first on Freedom From Religion Foundation.