When I grew up in public schools many teachers and administrators tried to bully Christians into living for their jobs instead of Jesus, and it would appear that not much has changed since then. Today we bring you the case of one Ms. Toni Richardson, a public school teacher in Augusta, Maine. Her school district has ordered her to stop phrases such as “I will pray for you” and “you are in my prayers” or seek employment elsewhere. What is more, the phrases weren’t used in the classroom but privately to another employee, who also happened to attend the same church with Ms. Richardson.

Here I thought schools were supposed to be free of bullying and bastions of tolerance, silly me.

In 2016 Ms. Richardson welcomed a new face at the school and helped him adjust to his new job. His struggles were taking a toll and she told him she would pray for him. Months later they had a falling out, and the co-worker reported what she had said to him in private that work day, knowing it would cause her trouble. Trouble indeed. She was given a written reprimand by the district and accused of “imposing” her beliefs on the co-worker. The letter continued:

“In the context of the ‘separation of church and state,’ this case prohibits public school-sponsored religious expression. Therefore, in the future, it is imperative that you do not use phrases that integrate public and private belief systems when in the public schools.”

I proclaim two counts of poppycock. The first count is the use of “imposition”, which by definition requires an action by the one being imposed upon. Ms. Richardson did command the co-worker to pray, she said she would pray on the other’s behalf. The second count is the use of “separation of church and state”, which is found nowhere in the US Constitution or the constitution of the state of Maine. The phrase does appear in the Federalist Papers, but only in the sense that the powers of the two institutions are separate, not that religion cannot have a proper place in state business. The Augusta school district has overstepped, and it will likely pay for it.

Ms. Richardson gained representation from the First Liberty Institute (FLI), a Christian legal firm. The FLI and the Eaton Peabody law firm coordinated to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging religious discrimination and retaliation. Pray for their efforts and for justice to be done so that everyone might know that God is not to be ejected from the public square.

These events are, of course, unfortunate and could have been avoided if the co-worker would have followed Jesus’ teaching in Mathew 18:

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector. -- Mathew 18.15-17

Also applicable is Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians chapter 6:

When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints? Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? Instead, does a Christian sue a Christian, and do this before unbelievers? The fact that you have lawsuits among yourselves demonstrates that you have already been defeated. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? But you yourselves wrong and cheat, and you do this to your brothers and sisters!