Voluntary prayers can’t be held at graduation ceremonies, the
11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. The court, meeting in
Atlanta, overturned a ruling that the First Amendment allows
student-led prayers, the Associated Press said. The case involved
a Duval County, Fla., school system policy that allowed
graduating students to decide by vote whether they wanted a
student-led prayer during the ceremony. The policy "coerces
objecting students to participate in prayer," because they have
to attend the ceremony, Chief Justice Joseph Hatchett wrote in
the majority opinion.

Reprinted with permission from Religion Today, http://www.ReligionToday.com."

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