Those living outside of Mississippi may not have heard that a local Mississippi high school band did not perform at the Friday night football game because school administrators feared a federal judge would fine the school $10,000 and force the termination of school personnel he deemed guilty of violating an agreement adjudicated in his court in 2013.

According to Kate Royals writing in the Clarion-Ledger August 22, 2015, “In 2013, a Northwest Rankin High School student sued the district and then-Principal Charles Frazier over a series of Christian assemblies held at the school. The district agreed it had violated the student’s First Amendment rights and settled the lawsuit by entering into an agreement and paying the plaintiff’s attorney fees.”

The Brandon High School band – a school in the Rankin County School District (RCSD) — had planned to play the Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art” as part of their halftime program. Last week the RCSD released a statement quoting a recent federal court order reinforcing the agreement reached in 2013. As quoted in the Clarion-Ledger story mentioned above:

“‘Defendants are permanently enjoined from including prayer, religious sermons or activities in any school sponsored event including but not limited to assemblies, graduations, award ceremonies, athletic events and any other school event. That means administrators, teachers and staff of the Rankin County School District may not participate in any religious activity, or solicit or encourage religious activities at school or while performing duties as a RCSD employee.”

Remember, the band was going to play the music, but not sing the words of the hymn. I wonder whether the band played the Star Spangled Banner before the game. The last verse of our National Anthem:

“Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war’s desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust.’

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”

Goodness gracious! How glad we are the judge’s agreement extends only to the RCSD! Obviously RCSD is in deep trouble if they played the National Anthem. Who knows whether they played the first or last stanza if no one sang the words? If they only played the last stanza, then the judge could still hold them accountable for violating the agreement he adjudicated in 2013.

I wonder how fans paid for their tickets to get into the game? Did RCDS personnel ‘solicit’ fans’ bills and coins on which is printed “In God We Trust”? Another violation by RCSD!

The good people of Brandon who supported their high school Friday night sang “How Great Thou Art” during the band-less halftime. I don’t know whether any RCSD employees participated in that singing. Surely the judge will investigate and pass sentences if he discovers any RCSD employees hummed along.

Thank you Brandon High School fans! May God bless you! And, I wish the judge would allow you to say what every American President during my lifetime has said without fear of a politically correct albeit constitutionally-challenged judge and his silly adjudicated agreement: “God bless the United States of America!”