How Could A Mormon Family Sue Over School Prayer?
Kent Larsen 23Jun00 N1 SANTA FE, TEXAS — This week’s news that the Supreme Court had ruled against allowing the Santa Fe, Texas Independent School District to have “student-led voluntary prayers” before high school football games was disappointing to many conservative Mormons. It was also shocking for many that a the lawsuit had been filed by a Mormon family. But an analysis of the case history shows why a Mormon family might file such a lawsuit. The case was originally filed in 1995, in response to the way that the Mormon family, and a Catholic family that joined them in the suit, were treated by teachers and other students in the school district. Both families felt that their children had been discriminated against and harassed for belonging to a minority religion in the majority Southern Baptist town, according to Mormon News’ analysis of news reports and contacts with those involved in the case. Both families experienced a pattern of teachers and students promoting their religion
