JACKSON, Miss. – The Rankin County School District has been found in contempt of court for promoting Christianity during school hours after it agreed to stop.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves fined the district $7,500 for allowing a Christian reverend to say prayers at a ceremony and for letting Bibles be given away at an elementary school.
The district had earlier been sued by a Northwest Rankin High School student who said her first amendment right was violated when the school held an assembly that promoted Christianity. The district agreed to settle the suit in 2013 and was supposed to use a policy that activities during school hours would not advance, endorse or inhibit any religion.
In his latest decision, Reeves again ordered the district to stop sponsoring prayers at graduations, assemblies, athletic competitions and other school events.
