Graduation prayer dispute grabs spotlight

Graduation is supposed to be a moment of triumph, the culmination of 12 years of effort.

But in 2016, Pottsgrove’s High School graduation stories in Christian also played host to a Consti- news outlets and even in the tutional debate over prayer conservative news site Breitbart, that attracted national at- as well as the local Philadelphia tention. TV stations.

The story began during The district’s long-time the 2015 graduation when solicitor Marc Davis issued one graduate speaking evoking a legal opinion that having Jesus Christ rubbed prayer as part of the sponsored school board member Rick program violates the Rabinowitz the wrong way. U.S. Constitution’s prohibition

He dashed off an e-mail against state-sponsored to the administration which, religion. much to his regret, later became A special meeting of the public asking about school board was called to the constitutionality of having discuss the issue publicly a prayer at graduation. and speakers on both sides

The story did not break, of the issue lined up to offer however, until May when their two cents. a Facebook post by former Ultimately, the students school board president Justin solved the problem by organizing Valentine alerted the a separate baccalaureate public to the fact that Pottsgrove ceremony at which would no longer allow prayer is specifically allowed, prayer as part of the district and a non-denominational program. “moment of reflection” was

What followed was a bit added to the graduation ceremony. of a circus, with Rabinowitz being outed as the source of The ceremony itself went the original complaint, follow-up off without incident.