Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), a nonprofit legal defense organization specializing in religious freedom and parental rights cases, told The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that it is “deeply concerned” over the religious accommodations at John Overton High School (JOHS) in Nashville, where up to 80 students were issued electronic hall passes in order to leave class to prayer at a reserved part of the school during Ramadan.
In addition to the daily prayer, which was proctored by a Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) employee, 10 JOHS teachers volunteered their classrooms as alternative areas for Muslim students to spend lunch during their Ramadan fasts, the school cafeteria was used for a religious iftar dinner, and lighting was changed in at least one classroom.
“PJI is appalled and deeply concerned over the news from John Overton High School,” a spokesman for the group told The Star. “Our laws clearly hold that schools and school officials are not to endorse or participate in religion.”
The group, which established offices in Tennessee in 2023, told The Star, “While we are fighting for students to be allowed to pray and have religious clubs at schools, JOHS is rearranging the entire school day, and possibly curriculum, to acquiesce to one particular religion: Islam.”
MNPS denied that the high school changed its bell schedule in a statement reported by The Nashville Banner.
However, following reporting about JOHS, the principal at Valor Collegiate Prep, a public charter high school in Nashville, reportedly confirmed that his school has permanently adjusted its bill schedule in order to allow Muslim students to pray.
Amid the controversy, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti weighed in last week, advising that student-led religious expression is legally distinct from school-sponsored activities, which could run afoul of current interpretations of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“The Establishment Clause, as interpreted, and as we hear about every time the legislature tries to do anything these days,” explained Skrmetti, “it’s been interpreted to mean the state can’t participate in promoting particular religious viewpoints.”
Skrmetti stated, “So if the school is dedicating resources to something, that’s a very different situation than if the students are self-organizing.”
– – –
Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
This news really ticks me off because I am a pastor in East Tennessee and schools are not open to us yet here in my home state this garbage religion that is sworn to destroy our nation is allowed. This is an outrage in my soul