In just days, or at the most weeks, the familiar strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” will be heard coming from the auditoriums, gymnasiums, and athletic fields of Wisconsin schools. Young men and women decked out in the traditional graduation regalia of colorful cap and gown will walk the aisles in front of family and friends as they close one chapter of their life and prepare to move on to the next. Such ceremonies rightly mark the importance of the achievements of our young people as they grow and begin to take their place in society.

It’s no wonder that at such momentous occasions Americans throughout our history have turned to God the Father to thank Him for what He has done in the lives of our children and to ask for His continued blessings as they move on to the next phase of their life. Sad to say, while most Wisconsin public schools will ensure some kind of rendering of “Pomp and Circumstance” during graduation exercises this spring, few if any schools will allow even a completely legal prayer offered on behalf of this year’s graduates.

Prayer at public-school graduation ceremonies has been a major part of the ongoing efforts to eradicate Christianity from the public square. As with any other type of prayer or religious expression in a public school, the number and frequency of legal actions taken against public schools concerning religious expression has created a sort of fog of confusion, where schools may assume that the prohibitions on religious expression are further reaching than the legal rulings behind previous cases actually allow. Schools would prefer to err on the side of caution than allow a student to exercise his or her first amendment right of religious expression.

So, in the spirit of clearing up the confusion surrounding prayer at graduation ceremonies, today we’ll examine what schools can and cannot do, based on the findings of the Supreme Court of the United States. Even if your children don’t attend public schools, it’s important for you to know and share this information with family, friends or others in your circle of influence who may have children who are facing these issues in public schools.

First and foremost, the United States Supreme Court has never ruled that prayer or religious messages are to be completely banned during public-school graduation ceremonies. Through a series of decisions, the high court has ruled that the key to graduation prayer is that the school itself should remain neutral, neither requiring a prayer or prohibiting voluntary prayer or religious messages. Remember, the school must never censor prayer or religious content from the graduation podium. However, the Supreme Court has placed restrictions on what is prohibited. In practical terms, a public school cannot invite a clergyman to say a prayer at the ceremony and direct the content or manner of the prayer. But this is not to say that prayer can’t be conducted at all.

You see, friends, most of these guidelines come from one 1992 case, Lee v. Weisman. The so-called “problem” the court found in that case is that the school officials were actively involved in placing prayer on the agenda, inviting a member of the clergy to speak for the purpose of prayer, and giving that speaker specific guidelines for saying nonsectarian prayers.

This ruling still leaves many options when it comes to prayer at graduation ceremonies. First, prayer can be conducted at public school graduations if school officials use secular criteria to invite the speaker, and once there, the speaker voluntarily prays. Along the same lines, a valedictorian, salutatorian or class officer can also voluntarily pray as part of the ceremony. The student body may also choose to elect a class chaplain or a representative for the expressed purpose of praying at the ceremony.

The bottom line is that prayer and religious expression are an important part of who we are as Americans. As the Supreme Court noted in the Lee v. Weisman opinion, “We recognize that, at graduation time…there will be instances when religious values, religious practices and religious persons will have some interaction with the public schools and their students.”

As Christians we need to stand up to ensure that our religious expressions and constitutional protections are respected and honored in the public square, especially in our Wisconsin public schools. Graduation is a time to offer a prayer of thanks to God and to seek His future blessing to those reaching this milestone. It’s certainly more than just “pomp and circumstance,” whether that is a musical piece or a condition. If you would like more information about graduation prayer options and rights, contact our office toll-free at 888-378-7395, that’s 888-378-7395.

For Wisconsin Family Council, I’m Julaine Appling reminding you the Prophet Hosea said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”