ROSS COUNTY, Ohio -- A local community that's largely centered around family and religion is riled up over a challenge to a tradition.
A senior at Southeastern High School in Ross County told his school he wants prayer taken out of the school's upcoming graduation ceremony.
Seventeen-year-old Jacob Davis also wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper and has enlisted the help of a lawyer from the group Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
Seventeen years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled public school prayer violates the Constitution's First Amendment by coercing students into religious participation.
Jacob, who practices the Wiccan faith, said he's angry that nearly two decades later, Southeastern's graduation prayer continues. He proposed replacing it with a moment of silence.
"If you want to thank the god or gods you believe in, they should do that before or after the entire ceremony, not at the school,” Jacob said.
While many in the community said Davis doesn't have to listen to the graduation prayer, he said he shouldn't have to hear it.
"It's pushing Christianity on us, and it's just uncomfortable for everybody. I don't think it should be there," Jacob said. "I'm not depriving you of your right to worship your God, not at all. I'm just saying you shouldn't bring any religion into a graduation ceremony."
The graduation prayer has become a tradition. a tradition that parents, teachers and community members are not ready to part with.
"I think that there should be allowed to be prayer. There always has been," Kim Riddle said.
"A moment of silence? People will wander at that point. Their minds will wander. If a prayer is being spoken, that's where you'll focus," Steve Speakman, an employee at a local Christian bookstore, said.
“And if the school thinks this is best, one person shouldn't be able to change the minds of everyone,” Speakman said.
"He should just close his eyes and just ... have his own moment of silence and go on with the way that it's been,” Chillicothe resident Amber Riddle said.
NBC 4 tried several times to contact the school district's superintendent and the principal at Southeastern High School but were unable to reach either Tuesday night.
The graduation ceremony is one week from Saturday.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com -- Where Accuracy Matters.
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