The US Supreme Court will not hear an appeal from Forsyth County regarding prayer before public meetings.
Jeff Tiberii: Last year an appellate court in Virginia ruled that using Christian prayer to begin a county commissioners meeting violated the First Amendment's prohibition on government endorsement of a particular religion. Representatives in Forsyth County wanted to challenge that ruling; however, the High Court rejected their appeal. Today’s ruling should end the legal portion of a debate that has continued for more than four years. County Commissioner David Plyler.
David Plyler: The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not say we couldn’t pray. What they said was, you can do whatever you want to, but you cannot do it in a sectarian manner.
Plyler says County Commissioners opened meetings with a moment of silence as well as by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. He says a non-sectarian prayer is another option moving forward.