"Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we seek your comfort for those who are here today who are still healing from these whirlwind times. Some of us here today felt the effects of a tyrant a half a world away on September 11th but Patricia has been hounded by a different tyranny for many months now."
Now seriously, does anyone expect the DOE guys to pray in earnest when the prayer in effect calls you a tyrant? Mighty presumptuous of them to cram their particular brand of religion onto people who probably don't share the same views. After that ridiculous prayer, is it any wonder the DOE doesn't swear on the bible? No, by this time they've figured out Patricia's schtick - to turn the situation into an emotional case of religious discrimination. But the reality is that Patrica appears to be on the borderline of illiteracy -(She had to look up the word 'duress'!!), and possibly an unfit parent. The kids are practically homeless, being bounced around from relatives and friends houses as well as cheap motels. I'm all for homeschooling kids, but in this cas I feel very sorry for the four children if they must depend on Ms. O'Dell as their primary teacher.