Nebraska public school superintendent accused of leading prayer

By The Associated Press

03.25.01

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ALBION, Neb. — A public school superintendent accused of violating the rights of students by initiating a prayer at a school assembly says he has the support of many district patrons.

"In society today, there's certainly a lot more support for the position I take with my faith versus the anti-sentiment," Boone Central Schools Superintendent Richard Stephens said on March 22.

The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint on March 21 against Stephens with the state Department of Education, which was working to determine if it merited an investigation. The complaint alleges that Stephens led students in a prayer on Feb. 14.

The U.S. Supreme Court said last year that prayer in public schools must be private or it violates the constitutionally required separation of government and religion.

Stephens said he was not leading students in prayer, as has been implied. His attorney, Kelley Baker of Lincoln, said the gathering was not mandatory and that students were free to leave.

According to the complaint, Stephens was meeting with students from Petersburg, whose school merged this year with Albion to create Boone Central.

The students asked for the meeting because they were upset that the nickname "Cardinals," which had been used by Albion, was picked for the new school over "Pirates," which had been used by Petersburg.

Stephens allegedly told the students that when he faced tough times, he would "turn to the Lord" and "I say a prayer to help me get through these difficult times in my life."

He then began an "extemporaneous prayer asking for God's help in the merger process," according to the complaint.

An investigation could result in four possible actions against Stephens, ranging from a private warning to loss of his teaching certification.

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Nebraska school superintendent reprimanded for leading students in prayer
Action comes in response to ACLU complaint to state education department.  08.31.01