President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to protect religious liberty in public schools and beyond
Shauneen Miranda
Washington State Standard
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education reinforced the right to prayer in public schools in guidance issued Thursday.
Under the guidance to state and local education agencies, students, teachers and school officials have “a right to pray in school as an expression of individual faith, as long as they’re not doing so on behalf of the school,” the department said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to protect religious liberty in public schools and beyond, and a growing number of GOP state legislators have tried to infuse Christianity in public education.
Trump announced the guidance during remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, calling the move a “big deal.”
The president predicted that Democrats would sue over the guidance, but said he was confident his administration would win any legal challenge.
The guidance also makes clear that “public schools may not sponsor prayer nor coerce or pressure students to pray.”
In 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Constitution.
The new guidance calls on school officials to “allow the individuals who make up a public school community to act and speak in accordance with their faith, provided they do not invade the rights of others, the school does not itself participate in religious action or speech as an institution, and the school does not favor secular over religious views or one religious view over another.”
The guidance leans on a handful of recent Supreme Court rulings surrounding religious expression and religious freedom in public schools, such as Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, which found that the actions of a Washington state high school football coach who prayed at the 50-yard line after games were constitutionally protected.
The Education Department is required by law to periodically reissue guidance on prayer in schools, according to the department.
Trump had previewed Thursday’s guidance while speaking in September 2025 at a Religious Liberty Commission hearing.
The president established that commission in May 2025 in an effort to “safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the administration is “proud to stand with students, parents, and faculty who wish to exercise their First Amendment rights in schools across our great nation,” in a statement alongside the announcement.
“Our Constitution safeguards the free exercise of religion as one of the guiding principles of our republic, and we will vigorously protect that right in America’s public schools,” she said.
This report was first published by the Washington State Standard.
Also read:
- VIDEO: WA diesel hits record $6.53, crushing truckers and school budgets
With diesel nearing $6.53 per gallon in Washington, trucking businesses and school districts now confront sharply higher fuel expenses affecting budgets and workers. - WA’s status solidifies as one of the most expensive places in US
A new study shows Washington outpaces most states on cost of living, with metrics revealing a sharp rise in daily expenses and major metro areas ranking among the nation’s most expensive. - Opinion: Someone explain the Democrat Party to me please
Lars Larson criticizes Democrat politicians for shutdown threats, Homeland Security funding refusals, and positions on election laws, housing, and gun rights. - POLL: Do you agree with requiring board members to follow council direction?
Disagreement among county councilors centers on whether C-TRAN board members should reflect the council’s collective wishes or act independently, highlighting ongoing concerns about public accountability. - High-value WA home listings increase by 65% after income tax passage
After lawmakers approved an income tax targeting millionaires, listings for homes priced at $2 million or more jumped 65 percent compared to last year, with experts urging caution about interpreting the spike.
