Former Auburn University head football coach Tommy Tuberville is defending a DeKalb County school’s plan to hold a “back to school worship service” and reiterating his call for prayer to return to public schools.
Fyffe High School last week published a post on Facebook inviting members of the public to voluntarily attend the event scheduled for this Sunday.
“Please join us in praying for God’s protective hand to be over our schools, facilities, and students,” the post said.
However, the out-of-state Freedom From Religion Foundation has since jumped at the chance to attack yet another Alabama public school, calling for an investigation in a letter to the DeKalb County superintendent dated July 26.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation called the school’s Facebook post and the scheduled event “a constitutional violation.”
“We write to ensure that DeKalb County Schools does not allow its employees to organize or participate in religious events while acting as district representatives,” the letter said.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation also warned that the voluntary worship service could be a way to “unlawfully and inappropriately indoctrinat[e] students in religious matters.”
In a statement to Yellowhammer News, Tuberville, a Republican 2020 U.S. Senate candidate, stood up for Fyffe High School, as well as the rights of all Alabama public schools.
“The values and traditions that serve as the moral foundation of our country are under attack from socialist democrats in Washington,” he decried.
Tuberville also went a step further, saying he would introduce a constitutional amendment in Congress to protect school prayer if elected.
“When I get elected to the Senate I will immediately put forth an amendment to protect prayer in schools,” Tuberville emphasized. “God and prayer are the cornerstone of our nation.”
Additionally, he posted on Facebook about the incident, voicing his support for the DeKalb County superintendent.
This is far from the first time the Freedom From Religion Foundation has focused its tentacles on Alabama.
In May, the atheist organization charged that coaches in Chatom were doing “illegal” activities when they oversaw 18 football players get baptized near the field, according to Fox News.
Auburn University’s football program even came under fire from the Freedom From Religion Foundation last year, with Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall jumping in to defend the university.
The organization’s fury does not stop at educational institutions, either. For example, the Opp Police Department drew its ire earlier this year.
Related: Three reasons why Alabama should stand up to the Freedom from Religion Foundation
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
