OCPS stops school-wide "witchcraft" video series at West Orange High

Orange County Public Schools has directed West Orange High School to discontinue its "Witchy Wednesday" video series following a complaint from Liberty Counsel. 

Liberty Counsel is a Christian litigation, education and policy nonprofit dedicated to advancing religious freedom that sent OCPS a letter demanding the district provide students an option to opt-out of watching the series, which the nonprofit deemed as "religious instruction."

The series was aired during mid-week morning announcements and produced by students. 

According to Liberty Counsel, the first video, which aired Wednesday, Sept. 10, greeted students saying, "Good morning, witches," and a student went on to give instructions on how to case a spell for "Light of Insight." 

OCPS' General Counsel John C. Palmerini sent a letter to Richard Mast, an attorney for Liberty Counsel, stating further segments of "Witchy Wednesday" will not take place. 

Palmerini said in the letter that the segment "would be considered government speech," and it was "delivered over the school's television system, on the school's morning announcements under the supervision of school faculty."

As a result, Palmerini said in the letter the district "cannot constitutionally allow such a segment to continue to take place in the future."

The letter also states "as the Supreme Court held in Santa Fe, school sponsorship of a religious message is impermissible 'because it sends the ancillary message to members of the audience who are nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community.' You letter affirms that such sentiments are indeed felt by the members of the West Orange High School community you represent."

Palmerini said in the letter that OCPS does not want "any student, whether Christian or non-Christian, to feel like they are outsiders and not full members of the political community at West Orange High School."