President Donald Trump on Thursday is expected to announce new guidelines in regard to prayer in schools. It’s not clear what that might be, but it is seen as a sign of the president trying to solidify support from evangelicals.
The Washington Post reports that the president’s official schedule for Thursday includes “THE PRESIDENT announces guidance on constitutional prayer in public schools.”
The remarks come after last month’s editorial in Christianity Today that called for Trump to be impeached and removed from office.
Trump responded, tweeting that the publication would prefer a radical left nonbeliever who “wants to take your religion & your guns.” Other evangelicals also came to Trump’s defense.
At an event in Miami earlier this month, Trump said he would be “taking action” to safeguard the right for teachers and students to pray in school.
As the Washington Post points out, it’s already legal for students to pray alone or in groups at school, but they can’t force others to join them. Schools themselves are barred from initiating or sponsoring religious activities.
USA TODAY reports Trump won 80% of the votes in the 2016 election from whites who declared themselves born-again or evangelical Christians.
