The Tangipahoa Parish School System is being sued for the third time in nine years because it allegedly violated constitutional restrictions on government-backed religious activities.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court on Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union, alleges that the school system broke the law by endorsing public prayer at Loranger High School football games, at school functions and at school board meetings.
Prayers are read over the public address system at Loranger games, while football coach Sammy Messina instructs players to bow their heads, touch someone, and commence saying the Lord's Prayer just before kickoff, the lawsuit states.
Also, prayers have been broadcast over the school intercom, at assemblies during the school day and even said before parish school board meetings, the lawsuit claims.
Joe Cook, president of the ACLU's Louisiana chapter, said the school-sponsored prayer "'dishonors the Constitution and the rule of law, while infringing on parents' right to choose the religious tradition in which to raise their children."
"At times, the Tangipahoa School Board meetings resemble a revival or prayer meeting more than a place to conduct the business of a secular public school system," Cook said. "Parents, children and members of the community should not have to pay the price of religious indoctrination in order to attend a school board meeting."
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a parent of two students at Loranger. Their identities are listed only as John, James and Jack Doe in the complaint.
The lawsuit notes that the plaintiffs have not discussed their concerns with the board, Loranger principal or football coach for fear of retaliation or being ostracized. In fact, they have felt a need to conform to the prayer practices to avoid being labeled disruptive by school officials and classmates, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit asks a judge to order the school system to stop school-sponsored prayer and pay both attorney's fees and damages to the plaintiffs for mental anguish and emotional distress.
Those named as defendants include Superintendent Louis Joseph, the Rev. Jimmie Richardson, and school board members.
Telephone calls seeking comment from either Joseph or a school board spokeswoman were not returned Tuesday. Officials at Loranger referred calls to the school board.
The ACLU has won similar lawsuits against Tangipahoa Parish twice since 1994. The first stopped the school system from teaching creationism, the doctrine that calls into question evolution. The second sought to ban from school grounds a man known as the pizza preacher because he would hand out slices of pizza while preaching Christianity during school hours.
Cook often has criticized public officials in Louisiana for repeatedly wasting taxpayer money on lawsuits brought on by their sponsorship of illegal activity, such as prayer or religious teaching in schools or official school events.
Cook also dismissed the idea that his group is hostile toward religion, as his opponents often claim.
Cook said the ACLU defends the U.S. Constitution and the belief by the founders of the country that the preciousness and sanctity of religious faith requires that religion be protected from government interference.
"Religious liberty can only flourish if the government stays neutral and refrains from advancing or inhibiting religion," Cook said. "The mixing of religion and government usually leads to the oppression of the minority by those in the majority, not unlike a theocratic state."