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Taxpayer-Funded Schools Can’t Prohibit Prayer And Promote Witchcraft
The Federalist ^ | 10/22/25 | Rhonda Thomas

Posted on 10/22/2025 3:49:59 PM PDT by CFW

When a public high school in Orange County, Florida, aired a weekly “Witchy Wednesday” religious video series on the schoolwide TV system, led by students and featuring detailed instructions on casting spells and performing rituals, including soul cleansing and moon worship, many parents were stunned.

The school canceled the series after public outcry and intervention from Liberty Counsel, in which the legal group asked for equal time for Christian instruction. But the larger question remains: Why would a public school introduce spiritual practices rooted in witchcraft to impressionable young students, and what does this reveal about the direction of public education?

Witchy Wednesday is where the court case Mahmoud v. Taylor becomes relevant. In that 2025 federal case, the court reaffirmed that schools cannot compel students to participate in, observe, or be exposed to religious exercises that violate their beliefs. The ruling underscored the constitutional boundary between religious neutrality and endorsement. Suppose Christian prayer at school events is considered an endorsement. How much more should a video series that not merely promotes but gives specific instructions on how to cast various spells, magic acts, and rituals raise constitutional alarms?

Liberty Counsel’s response to the Orange County case makes the same point: If Christianity is excluded to maintain “neutrality,” then witchcraft, a recognized religion under U.S. law, cannot be allowed either. The law must apply consistently. Selective tolerance is not neutrality; it is discrimination cloaked in “equity.”

[snip]

Suppose a state can normalize witchcraft while silencing Christian truth. That reveals the goal of the state’s investors: a generation untethered from absolute truth, detached from their Creator, and dependent on emotional experience and external validation as their moral guide.

(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: arth; intercession; prayer; schools; scotus; westorangehighschool; witchcraft
Great editorial
1 posted on 10/22/2025 3:49:59 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW
weekly “Witchy Wednesday” religious video series

To me that doesn’t sound like a silly build up for a reminder for the kids to wear costumes on Halloween Thursday. A weekly series seems pretty brazen. Almost like the leftists in the school are mad that they can’t do trans anymore so they’re looking for other ways to stir the pot.

2 posted on 10/22/2025 3:55:52 PM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

3 posted on 10/22/2025 4:10:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (NeverTrumpin' -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: Tell It Right

“...a video series that not merely promotes but gives specific instructions on how to cast various spells, magic acts, and rituals “


Yeah, this is not your spooky and cute little Halloween witches.


4 posted on 10/22/2025 4:22:52 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

Here it is 2025, I’m 70, and with all of the shit I have done in my life and all of the shit I’ve been accused of doing it still boils down to the simple fact that I have no kids in school as the deciding factor of me not being in prison.


5 posted on 10/22/2025 4:33:17 PM PDT by Feckless (The US Gubbmint / This TagliCanne CENSORED by FR \ IrOnic, ain't it?)
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To: metmom

ARTH ping.


6 posted on 10/22/2025 4:45:16 PM PDT by lightman (Beat the Philly fraud machine the Amish did onest, ja? Nein, zweimal they did already!)
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To: Feckless

If I had children in government schools, I’d probably be on year 5 or 6 of my prison sentence about now.

Meanwhile in our topsy-turvey upside down world,

This morning the Minnesota Supreme Court has, at the urging of Walz, Ellison, and Minnesota Democrats, ruled that it is illegal “public accommodation” discrimination to have a womens or girls sports division that excludes males based on sex: https://mncourts.gov/_media/migrati


7 posted on 10/22/2025 4:53:10 PM PDT by CFW
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To: CFW

This is more like the Thuggee cult from “Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom”.


8 posted on 10/22/2025 5:16:43 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: lightman; 6amgelsmama; 100American; AAABEST; aberaussie; AbolishCSEU; AccountantMom; Aggie Mama; ...

ANOTHER REASON TO HOMESCHOOL

This ping list is for the other articles of interest to homeschoolers about education and public school. This can occasionally be a fairly high volume list. Articles pinged to the Another Reason to Homeschool List will be given the keyword of ARTH. (If I remember. If I forget, please feel free to add it yourself)

The main Homeschool Ping List handles the homeschool-specific articles. I hold both the Homeschool Ping List and the Another Reason to Homeschool Ping list. Please freepmail me to let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from either list, or both.

9 posted on 10/22/2025 6:55:08 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus….)
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