An Arkansas school district has decided to cancel sixth grade graduation ceremonies rather than remove a traditional opening prayer. A parent apparently requested the prayer be removed—a request followed by a letter from The Freedom from Religion Foundation and support from the American Civil Liberties Union. The district had been mulling whether a sixth grade graduation ceremony was really necessary for the last several years, but the parents’ request apparently tilted the scales. Local atheists have decried the move. “We think that the students are the big losers in this astonishing display of religious selfishness on the part of the school’s administration,” says Anne Orsi, a member of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers. “There is absolutely no reason the graduation ceremony cannot continue without forcing the attendees to submit to a public prayer. There is no reason to punish these children.” An alternative ceremony not sponsored by the school will be held at a local church. “We are including everyone, everyone is invited, we want everyone to come and be a part of it,” says Kelly Adams, a parent of a district sixth grader. “We’re not trying to be pushy or ugly to anybody; we just want them to know there is a God who loves them.” (TakePart)

Paul Asay has covered religion for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for Plugged In and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and two children. Follow him on Twitter.