News Analysis | Joshua Arnold
Updated School Prayer Guidance Affirms Religious Freedom but ‘Doesn’t Push Boundaries’
The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday issued new "guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools." The document replaces guidance issued under the Biden administration in 2023. Much of the guidance is similar, but the new guidance incorporates insights from the Supreme Court's Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025) decision, places greater emphasis on religious freedom, and specifically recognizes the right of school employees to pray with students.
