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Prayer Appeal Rejected by US Supreme Court

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.

Jeff Tiberii is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Jeff joined WUNC in 2011. During his 20 years in public radio, he was Morning Edition Host at WFDD and WUNC’s Greensboro Bureau Chief and later, the Capitol Bureau Chief. Jeff has covered state and federal politics, produced the radio documentary “Right Turn,” launched a podcast, and was named North Carolina Radio Reporter of the Year four times.
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