News & Commentary

Rowan County commissioners voted unanimously to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court ruling that found that the commissioners violated the Constitution when they opened public meetings by coercing public participation in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced one religion.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled with a decisive majority that Rowan County’s commissioners violated the Constitution when they routinely opened public meetings by coercing public participation in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced beliefs specific to one religion.

All members of the public – regardless of their personal religious beliefs – should feel welcome when they attend meetings of their local government that discuss issues affecting the community. But for years in Rowan County, North Carolina, that was not the case.

This is a remarkable day. When Donald Trump was elected president, we promised that if he tried to implement his unconstitutional and un-American policies that we would take him to court. We did that today. And we won.

The Rowan County Commissioners have conducted their public meetings in a way that has not only made many residents feel unwelcome and unequal but has also coerced those in attendance to take part in prayers that do not comport with their personal religious beliefs.