Elkhart Central High School Once Again Violates the Separation of Church and State
ELKHART, INDIANA – On the morning of September 26th, 2018 at 7:05 a.m., a small group of Elkhart Central High School students met on their football field to pray around the flagpole for their annual See You At the Pole event. A public school auditor from Northern Indiana Atheists, a local affiliate of American Atheists, observed a female teacher and police officer participating in the prayer circle.
Elkhart City Police Officer and School Resource Officer, Cody Skipper, was observed in his full police uniform leading the prayer with the students. After the prayer concluded, officer Skipper could be heard saying to the students, "I don't care about laws," indicating he understood his actions were unlawful.
The female teacher refused multiple times to identify herself and ran into the school after the prayer.
In 2013, the Elkhart Central High School was found to be in violation of the constitution and received several letters from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Their reply was that they understood their obligation to maintain a status of neutrality on matters related to religious belief, and to avoid actions which might be construed as endorsement of any particular religious beliefs. Obviously this school has learned nothing.
On November 8, 2018, American Atheists sent a letter addressed to Elkhart Community Schools and the Elkhart, Indiana, Police Department, American Atheists demanded that the agencies take action to ensure staff compliance with the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Equal Access Act (EAA). Read more here: American Atheists
Northern Indiana Atheists is a 501c3 organization established to fight state/church violations on a local level and defend the rights of atheists across Northern Indiana. Membership is open to atheists and our allies who share our vision for a government that represents all citizens equally, our passion for serving our community, and our enjoyment of educating people on what it means to be an atheist in Northern Indiana. Your membership and donations amplify our voice and makes our impact even stronger. Become a member today at NorthernIndianaAtheists.com