The question of prayer in public schools has reared its ugly and controversial head in Iowa. The Iowa Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to prevent the Lord’s Prayer from being sung by the school choir at the Woodbine Community School District’s high school graduation. The ICLU says even though the prayer will be sung rather than spoken, the act is an endorsement of religion. A 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling banned prayer at graduations.

But wait, staring a lawsuit in the eye, Woodbine Community School District officials came up with a fool-proof plan to thwart litigation. They’d simply add a non-religious song to the graduation ceremony. That would make everyone happy, right?

Wrong.

Lawyers on behalf of Donovan and Ruby Skarin, 14-year-old twin sophomores and choir members, and their parents, filed the lawsuit, claiming that the two 14-year-olds feel uncomfortable singing the prayer at the ceremony.

In an ICLU news release, Donovan Skarin said, “The prayer which they are having us sing for graduation is basically forcing us to sing praise to a God that we don’t even believe in.” That is exactly what the school district would be doing, and it is wrong.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits the endorsement of religion by a public entity. The great thing about our country is that we are not subject to any religious influence by our public schools. Every student, regardless of religious affiliation, can attend a public school for free, and not feel any pressure toward one religion or another. As hard as it is for some religious leaders to believe, even the singing of the Lord’s Prayer violates those rights extended to all.

Tossing a secular song into the mix is hardly a viable answer by the school board. Thinking that it was doesn’t say much for the grasp Woodbine school officials have on reality and common sense. Therefore, it would appear that a court battle is the best option.

Taxpayers’ dollars go to public schools. Hence, public schools are governmental entities. And as mentioned earlier, the government can not sponsor religious events. It’s a seemingly clear-cut issue, and one that shouldn’t even have gotten this far in the first place.

In small-town communities, religious observances at football games, graduations and pep rallies are common. Whole towns are of the same religion, and no one complains.

But commonality does not mean right. Just like the fact that no one complains doesn’t make it OK.

If students are being encouraged or compelled to say, or sing, a prayer at a public event, the courts need to step in. There are bound to be times when students are afraid to step forward like the Skarins did. And for those, the law must be followed in all circumstances.

Trying to “even it out” with a secular song isn’t going to do it.

editorialboard: Andrea Hauser, Tim Paluch, Michelle Kann, Charlie Weaver, Omar Tesdell