Spring Hill middle school faces pushback for religious prayer at graduation

A Spring Hill middle school is receiving pushback after a school official was found mixing religious prayer into official school ceremonies — the second such time the official was recorded doing so.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to protect he separation of church and state, sent a letter of concern to Battle Creek Middle School after a parent at the school told the organization that the school’s principal, Mike Kinnard, was leading students in prayer at a May 23, 2024 graduation ceremony.

This is the second such incident with the same individual, who was called out by FFRF in 2023 for using a number of Bible verses and prayer to conclude an awards ceremony.

After both the 2023 and 2024 incidents, Maury County Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Ventura told the FFRF, in identical letters, that she spoke privately with the principal about the misconduct. The organization has posted the letters online.

“I have investigated this incident and spoken with (Kinnard),” Ventura’s letter stated, both times. “The actions of (Kinnard) violated the school district’s policies and procedures. I have issued a private letter of concern, and he has been instructed not to repeat this behavior going forward.”

Ventura also repeated that school administration would receive training to further prevent such incidents.

“It makes no difference how many students want prayer or would not be offended by prayer at their graduation ceremony; courts have continually reaffirmed that the rights of minorities are nonetheless protected by the Constitution,” FFRF Patrick O’Reiley Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi wrote to Ventura in response to the May graduation ceremony.

Neither Ventura nor Kinnard replied to requests for comment.

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down prayers at school-sponsored events multiple times, including public school graduations, including the 1992 case of Lee v. Weisman, which declared clergy-delivered prayers at a public school graduation unconstitutional, and the 2000 case Santa Fe Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Doe, which found that pre-planned prayers at graduation ceremonies are also unconstitutional, even if student-led.

According to 2020 census data collected by the nonprofit Public Religion Research Institute, Maury County is in the top 10 counties for highest religious diversity in the state, with a score of 0.576 per 96,000 residents.

The index is calculated so that a score of 1 signifies every religious group is equal in size, and a score of 0 indicates a complete lack of diversity and one religious group comprises the entire population of a given county. The average religious diversity score by county in the U.S. is 0.625, according to PRRI.

According to the same data, Maury County is 64% Christian.

Despite the repeat incidents at the school, FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said she is optimistic that the school will take steps to ensure adherence to the establishment clause.

“Even as the actions of this principal have continued to violate the Constitution, we will continue to keep children free from such conduct,” Gaylor said. “We’re pleased that Battle Creek will ensure graduation ceremonies going forward will honor the accomplishments of students instead of being misused for religious proselytization.”

The USA Today Network - Tennessee's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners.

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