Patrick Ashe, the student’s father, claims his daughter was prevented from praying before her meal at lunch about a week ago by district Superintendent Dora Romero. The Ashe family are Catholic and are in the habit of praying before every meal. “It’s just very important to me to thank God for putting food on your table and for leading you through life,” Ashe said.
He said that he was speechless when his daughter told him what happened to her at school. “I asked her if she was praying out loud and she said, ‘No, I was praying to myself, I wasn’t even speaking,’” he explained to KOAT.
State law prohibits schools from instilling religious doctrines, but it does protect a student’s religious freedoms. Romero was asked by KOAT if she had stopped the student from praying, she claims she didn’t tell anyone not to pray, but is investigating the allegations.
Sadly, this isn’t an isolated report. We continue to see more cases involving students who say their most basic religious-freedom rights are being violated at school. For instance, earlier this year, a kindergarten student in Florida also told her parents the “lunch teacher” chastised her when she bowed her head to pray.
Ashe stated that he wants his daughter to be free to bow her head wherever and whenever she needs or wants to.
“I just ask she could pray before a meal, before a test, or if she’s struggling with anything at school,” Ashe said. “I just want her to be able to pray at her own will.”