A Virginia school board is being asked to clarify its policy on prayer after the board president would not allow a local resident to use her public comment time to pray for the school district.
At a recent school board meeting in Suffolk, resident Angela Kilgore offered to use the remainder of her allotted comment time to pray “for Suffolk public schools” and its board members.
Board Chair Tyron Riddick replied, “I apologize, we can’t do that.”
“Why can’t we?” Kilgore said. “I’d like to pray for our students in our school.”
The tense exchange escalated when Riddick ordered Kilgore to “get back on to your topic.”
“That is my topic,” she said. “Well, then it’s not permitted at this time,” said Riddick. “To pray for our schools is not permitted?” Kilgore asked. “That’s correct,” he replied.
Kilgore then invited those in attendance at the meeting to join her in prayer, saying, “I’d invite you because I think that’s the only way that we’re going to come together is through God and our faith.”
As she stepped away from the podium, Riddick told the audience, “I love prayer, but this is not the place per the law.”
That’s when Kilgore and others began to pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Riddick then called the meeting into recess as one of the board members was overheard telling Riddick, “Ask the officers to remove her. “
In response to the exchange, attorneys with the Founding Freedoms Law Center and First Liberty Institute sent a letter to the Suffolk School Board “urging members to update their public comment policies to reflect the right of religious citizens to express their viewpoint without fear of censorship.”