ACLU slams Northern over prayer at graduation

Havre's local university has been taken to task by the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, which has called for an apology for the content of the 2010 Montana State University-Northern graduation's invocation and benediction.

ACLU said in a press release that it received several complaints about the benediction and invocation, which it said was sectarian and promoted a Christian faith in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"Separation of church and state is a cornerstone of the U.S. and Montana constitutions. The ability to practice any faith or no faith at all goes to the essence of what it means to be a free person," said ACLU of Montana Legal Director Betsy Griffing. "MSUNorthern showed poor judgment and a lack of respect for its students, faculty and staff by overtly endorsing one specific religion at its graduation." Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki was out of his office at meetings this morning and could not be reached for comment.

Tracy Ellig, spokesperson for Montana State University in Bozeman, said the university received the letter Tuesday and is still working on how to respond.

"We want to make a thoughtful and informed response," he said.

Neither the state Board of Regents nor the university has any specific policy on the issue, Ellig said.

Tim Ze rge r, pas to r o f the Community Alliance Church in Havre, gave the invocation and benediction that the ACLU said led several professors to complain.

Zerger said this morning that he has not seen the specific complaint from the ACLU. He said that, as a Christian minister, his invocation and benediction certainly were Christian-based.

"I have given lots of invocations and benedictions," he said. "It was pretty orthodox stuff." According to the press release, several faculty members said Zerger repeatedly referred to Jesus as a personal savior, rather than presenting the invocation and benediction in a careful, nonsectarian manner.

Some faculty members said that, as they are required to attend the graduation ceremony, they were forced to listen to the invocation and benediction as a captive, and sometimes unwilling, audience, the release said.

"My spiritual and religious views are private, and I do not wish the state to force me to attend graduation as part of my job and then force me to listen to any prayer from any religious tradition," Professor John Snider said in the release.

Professor Janet Trethewey, also a member of the Havre City Council, said she was "shocked" by the style of Zerger's presentation, the release said.

"The minister in question was definitely proselytizing and was very forceful in his convictions and manner of speech," she said. "I can see where someone who is of another faith or a non-believer could be offended." The ACLU has asked that the Montana University System Board of Regents investigate the issue a n d t a k e action to prevent it from h a p p e n i n g a g a i n , t h e release said.