Berkeley Co. School Board swaps pre-meeting prayer with moment of silence

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - The Berkeley County School Board is being forced to change their ways after being threatened by a lawsuit.

For the first time in years, the board did not start their Tuesday night meeting with a prayer.

The Berkeley County School District has stopped the opening prayer at their board meetings after being sent a letter threatening a lawsuit from a national group called the Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The group says someone from the community reached out to them with a complaint.

The group believes reciting the Lords Prayer before every meeting is in violation of the First Amendment.

Board members say they were surprised to receive the letter. They say they will instead hold a moment of silence at the start of their meetings until they get legal advice about how they can move forward.

This is a developing story. Check back for additional details.

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