Subject: IWG Inquirer letter on Ecru Missisipi Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 23:05:51 -0500 (EST) From: Chris Purdom The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 2 congregations, 4 religious organizations and 21 clergy from 9 denominations. If you are in the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in other areas. Visit the web page at http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ or http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/religion/orgs/iwg/ A shorter version of this was sent to the Daily News, which ran the same story. March 6, 1996 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: On March 5 you ran a story about a woman in Ecru, Mississippi who is trying to get her local school to comply with the law and cease to broadcast religious material and prayers over the school public address system, in addition to leading classes in prayers and Bible readings. The principal of the school is against changing these practices because they have been in place for so long; as though the length of time he has been breaking the law exonerates him. In the article, it was also noted that local people said she was inspired by the Devil and called her an atheist. The article failed to mention that she is actually Lutheran. The framers of the constitution included many religious people who had suffered religious persecution in England for not being Church of England members, which was why a provision was placed in the constitution forbidding church-state entanglement. Many people of faith are fighting to maintain this separation. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators