BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DECIDE ON PRAYER AT GRADUATION EVENT

Future baccalaureate services for Cape Girardeau Central High School students might be sponsored by the local ministerial alliance instead of the school district.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is expected to decide today on the future of baccalaureate services for graduating seniors in light of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June. The court ruled that prayers at graduation ceremonies for public schools violates the constitution.

Neyland Clark, superintendent of Cape Girardeau Public Schools, said Saturday that school officials are obtaining legal advice on the issue from the school district's attorney, Joseph Russell.

"At this point we are waiting on further administrative review," said Clark.

But he added that he expects to make a recommendation to the school board when it meets at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Washington School.

"It really kind of boils down to what the legal parameters are for the school," said Clark. "I think the general feeling on the board is that if it is within their legal parameters to host a baccalaureate, it is a practice we would like to continue."

If the school district can't legally sponsor a baccalaureate service, Clark said he would recommend that the ministerial alliance be asked to conduct the service.

Faced with the Supreme Court decision, many school districts have decided to eliminate baccalaureate services. "Most of them have dropped it," said Clark.

Some have asked churches to sponsor separate baccalaureate services for graduating students in their congregations, he said, while others have turned to ministerial alliances to handle the sponsorship.

"The problem with this whole court decision is they say you can't have a religious service in a school, but yet they will turn around and require prayer around the flag pole," said Clark.

The superintendent said he was referring to the fact that students have a right to hold prayer sessions on school property.

Clark said the baccalaureate service typically is held about a week before graduation and students aren't required to attend.

"I don't understand why they say that's out of line when they say we have to permit a religious gathering around the flag pole," he remarked.

But he added, "We have several groups that I think would like to do something in the event the school doesn't do a baccalaureate."

Clark said private individuals already have approached school officials about the possibility of renting the high school gymnasium and hosting a baccalaureate ceremony.

The superintendent said it's important to make the decision now even though graduation is months away. "There is a lot of planning that goes into these programs," he said.

In other business, Dr. Richard Martin is scheduled to speak to the board. The Cape Girardeau physician plans to discuss concerns about teenagers smoking despite a new state law that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18.