File photo of a young undergraduate waiting to receive his degree at his graduation ceremony. | (Photo: Reuters/Brian Snyder)
Months after a court awarded an atheist group $456,000 in a lawsuit against a South Carolina school district for holding graduation ceremonies with prayer and hymns, Greenville County School District has agreed to pay $187,000 in a settlement that would protect the religious freedoms of students and employees.
District’s board members voted 8-3 to pass the settlement with the American Humanist Association, which not only significantly reduces the amount to be paid by the district but would also allow staff to bow their heads during student-led prayer, which the previous court order prohibited, Greenville News reported.
Horry County, Georgetown County Schools discuss spending plans for CARES Act funds
CARES Act money heading to local schools By Katherine Phillips | December 17, 2020 at 7:25 PM EST - Updated December 17 at 7:27 PM
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - More federal funding is on the way to every school district in South Carolina, including Horry County.
It comes as Gov. Henry McMaster continues to push districts to reopen for five days of face-to-face learning.
“What I’ve encouraged districts to do, is to find ways to keep the schools open,” McMaster said during a news conference last week. “A lot of schools are open up face-to-face five days a week. A lot of the private all the private, independent, Christian schools did so.”