YULEE, Fla. -- A student who delivers the morning announcements over the PA system at Yulee High School has sparked controversy in the atheist community.
The student ends his announcements with "God Bless America", which according to Nassau County Schools, was not supposed to be part of the script.
Rather than expressing their grievance to the school's principal, a couple of atheist students reached out to the American Humanist Association.
A letter was sent by Appignani Humanist Legal Center to the school's principal and superintendent on behalf of those two students.
"We have been informed that religious messages are being delivered over the PA system at Yulee High School every morning for the past few weeks."
The AHA said the student's statement was a "constitutional violation" and was "inappropriate" for the message to be delivered over the intercom.
"Every day these students must witness the State, through its public schools, define patriotism in a way that portrays God belief as consistent with ideal patriotism and disbelief as something less. Indeed, the daily validation of the religious views of God-believers resigns atheists to second-class citizens. Because attendance is mandatory, the students have no way of avoiding this daily message either."
AHA threatened a lawsuit if the school does not address the issue immediately.
"Such religious messages violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and must therefore be stopped immediately."
Nassau County School district spokesperson Sheryl Wood said, "students at Yulee High are free to express their beliefs all day long, but not during the school announcement. This student deviated from the script and has been instructed do not deviate from the script; he is a good student and he meant no harm."
Wood also said she believes the incident was escalated by media attention.
The media has taken an opportunity to create a controversy; to some he may be a hero," Wood said.
Letter written by Appignani Humanist Legal Center [if you are viewing this on a mobile device, click HERE to view the letter]:
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