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Clymer baccalaureate to be held at church

CLYMER – After the Clymer Central School District canceled its baccalaureate services this year, a local church announced it will now host the services for graduating seniors.

The Clymer United Methodist Church announced it will take over the decades-long tradition that was formerly held at the school on June 23 at 7 p.m, it announced on its Facebook page. The school district will hold its graduation ceremony on June 27.

Following a complaint by a “concerned Clymer resident” and a request by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the school district canceled the baccalaureate services and plans to eliminate prayer segments from commencement.

“Clymer CSD will not be hosting baccalaureate service this year nor will we open or close our commencement ceremony with prayer,” Superintendent Ed Bailey wrote in an email to FFRF.

FFRF, a non-profit group with 31,000 members nationwide, maintains its purpose is to maintain the constitutional separation of church and state and raise awareness.

FFRF asked the district to cease the practice of implementing religious prayers at commencement citing the court case Lee. v. Weisman that dealt with such issues. Previously, the district implemented a moment for prayer at the beginning and end of the service.

In a press release it also detailed its concerns with the proceedings of the baccalaureate service last year.

“Official endorsement of a religiously tinged baccalaureate ceremony and the infusion of prayers at the commencement is an affront to those who do profess Christianity,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “We’re glad school officials are toeing the constitutional line and ensuring that the ceremony to culminate 13 years of secular education remains free of proselytizing.”

FFRF stated the organization was “appreciative of (Clymer’s) willingness of the district to rectify its mistakes.”

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