Letter to ECSB - What is Needed, What's Next, What is the Solution?

For your information, PLEASE READ THE NEWS BELOW about another school board currently being sued for it's prayer policy.
Here's the link: http://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/21768-ffrf-sues-praying-school-board-in-chino-valley-calif


December 8, 2014

Board Members, et al,

As ever, I encourage you to reconsider your exclusive and illegal prayer policy.  The ECSB should not waste taxpayer dollars defending a sectarian stand that pushes ANY religious practice on those attending ECSB meetings.  With so much confusion over this, it behooves you to issue a WRITTEN POLICY (at the very least) clarifying your prayer practice.  Who may lead the room in prayer and who may not?  Who makes these decisions and on what basis?  What content is appropriate?  No one will say.  Yet offers from minorities get rejected while SB members solicit Bible-believers to offer prayers befitting their own faith.

What's more, you have failed to respond to letters from FFRF and AU.  Your constituents have no idea how you justify establishing Bible-based prayer - while excluding all others.  This all contradicts your own system-wide policy (no school-led prayer, but an inclusive moment of silence), as stated in the Student Handbook.  Even under Galloway v Greece (which does not apply to school boards), your style of individual privilege and board-endorsed discrimination is indefensible.  It certainly does not comport with more stringent legal precedents regarding school-system-sponsored prayer.

PLEASE NOTE:  For reconciliation's sake, I am willing to drop this matter altogether - without notifying the press - if you will continue the inclusive moment of silence Mrs Hightower led at the last meeting.  Otherwise, I will accept your previous offer and present a WIDE DIVERSITY of prayers (not just my own) EVERY MONTH during the Public Forum.  I have invocation prayers from many traditions: Muslim, Pastafarian, atheist, Scientologist, Satanist, Astrologist, Hindu, Pantheist and everything in between.

Likewise, I'll continue praying audibly (according to my own beliefs) during the time set aside for such activity.  As you know, it is every American's right to freely exercise their religion up until the OFFICIAL start of business.  Oddly, the Invocation occurs BEFORE the Call to Order... though at the behest of the board president.  It's still unclear why you start the meeting this way - once unofficially (and after 5:30) for the Invocation and again, officially, after the Call to Order.  However, until the meeting is actually called to order, it is my right to pray aloud  - just as students may pray aloud before the official beginning of the school day.

That's all for now.  I don't expect it, but I welcome your response by email or phone.

Best Regards,
David Suhor
850 512-2220