Woman permitted to pray at Virginia school board meeting after dispute earlier this year
A Virginia woman who was prohibited from praying at a school board meeting earlier this year was allowed to pray as part of her public comments after a negotiated agreement with the school board.
During a public comment portion of the Suffolk Public Schools Board meeting in August, resident Angela Kilgore offered to use the remainder of her allotted comment time to pray “for Suffolk Public Schools” and its board members when she was prevented from doing so by Board Chair Tyron Riddick.
In response to Riddick’s prohibition, several members of the audience began to recite the Lord’s Prayer, which prompted security to clear the room.
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Following the meeting, Founding Freedoms Law Center (FFLC) and First Liberty Institute sent a letter to Suffolk Public Schools Board urging officials to “update their public comment policies to reflect the right of religious citizens to express their viewpoint without fear of censorship.”
After their initial letter went unanswered, FFLC issued a demand letter on behalf of Kilgore, asking the board to allow her to pray as she had planned.
“After our attorneys were able to fully communicate the constitutional issues at play, the board finally agreed to allow Ms. Kilgore to pray during her public comment time,” a FFLC spokesperson said.
At the board’s Nov. 9 meeting, Kilgore said she was “humiliated” by the board’s decision to stop her prayer just weeks earlier.
“I was met with disrespect, humiliated, kicked out, and/or escorted out,” she said. “It seems to be the standard of this board that if you don't like what you are hearing, you kick us out.
“... In August, I was led by the Holy Spirit to pray for our children, schools and this board, the chair … shut me down, but God moved.”
In her prayer during Tuesday’s meeting, Kilgore asked the Lord to grant “wisdom” to the board members and to help protect parental rights.
“Heavenly Father, we ask that you would grant our school board wisdom as they seek to shape our laws in a rapidly shifting and increasing polarized topic,” Kilgore prayed.
“We pray for your mercy on our nation. Please help our leaders to issue good guidance, particularly regarding education in schools, and may they be courageous in pursuing what is right and just rather than caving into the demands of ideological pressure groups.”
In a statement, Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation and its legal arm FFLC, said the change of heart by the district was a win for religious freedom.
“We are pleased that the Suffolk School Board eventually acknowledged that they were wrong to discriminate against Angela Kilgore in denying her the ability to express religious speech,” said Cobb. “The government doesn’t get to disfavor or disallow religious speech over non-religious speech.”
“I’m glad they got the message and that I had the opportunity to pray,” said Kilgore. “In my comments I shared, 'You were wrong by shutting me down. You know it. I know it, and now everyone will know it.'
“I decided that I could not stay silent and just go away because the right of free speech including prayer is simply too important.”
