School bans praying mom from steps

CONCORD — School officials have told the mother of two high school students that she may no longer deliver speeches on the front steps of Concord High School as students enter the building each morning.

Lizarda Urena’s speeches were in the form of prayers and Bible readings. Superintendent Christine Rath said they won’t be allowed to resume in the fall.

Urena, an anti-school-bullying activist, began arriving before school and praying after hearing reports that bullets had been found in a school washroom in February.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation heard about the prayers and complained.

“We sent an open records request to the school district, asking them for copies of any meeting minutes or any sort of documents which gave this woman permission to pray on school property,” said Rebecca Markert, a Freedom From Religion Foundation staff attorney.

A response came from the Concord School District within days.

“There is no document giving Ms. Urena permission to pray on school property,” wrote Rath.

Upon hearing that the schools had not given the woman permission to pray at the school, the foundation argued that the issue was its failure to stop her.


http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130726/NEWS04/130729428