Christian flag removed from Unicoi school board meeting room
ERWIN, Tenn. (AP) – The Unicoi County Board of Education has voted for the Christian flag to be removed from its public meeting room.
Media outlets report Thursday’s vote came two months after the Freedom From Religion Foundation asked the board to remove the flag. The board ceremonially handed the flag over to the Unicoi County Ministerial Association.
The resolution drafted by Director of Schools John English says in part, “while the flag represents a faith shared by most in this community, according to federal law no government entity is allowed to endorse a particular religious viewpoint.”
Freedom From Religion Foundation Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert submitted the request to remove the flag in a Nov. 16 letter. Markert says she was prompted by a local resident who contacted the foundation out of concern for the flag’s display.
