ADF attorneys inform public official that new policy prohibiting prayer over PA systems at private schools is on shaky ground.

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys urged the Illinois High School Association in a letter sent Wednesday to terminate its policy banning private schools from praying or delivering religious messages over public address systems before IHSA tournament games hosted at private schools. ADF attorneys also offered the IHSA free legal representation in the event it is sued for rescinding its new rule if it decides to do so.

“Christians shouldn’t be censored from expressing their beliefs, and especially not on their own private property,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman. “It is blatantly unconstitutional for public school officials to come into private schools and enforce a policy prohibiting them from expressing what’s central to their religious beliefs.”

After allegedly receiving a few complaints from people who didn’t like the prayers and religious announcements at the private schools, IHSA instituted a new rule prohibiting all prayer or religious messages given over PA systems prior to IHSA state series events, even when they are held on private school property.

The ADF letter to IHSA Executive Director Dr. Marty Hickman explains that the new policy is both needless and unconstitutional because private schools’ prayers and religious announcements prior to games are in no way a state endorsement of religion.