The decision comes in the wake of a June Supreme Court ruling against student-led prayers over a school stadium’s public address system.

“It’s a very controversial subject, and because we took away this section of policy does not mean we’re against prayer,” school board Vice Chairwoman Danita Rickard said. “But when you’re a public body ... you’re elected to uphold the law of the land, whether it’s something you like or don’t like.”

Instead, the school board encourages a non-religious “creed” before games that promotes ideals like sportsmanship and courage, similar to one a S.C. law student offered to schools there.

The school system’s previous policy allowed a student to deliver a “brief, serious message” before varsity football games and an invocation or benediction at graduation.

The Supreme Court ruling did not address prayer before graduation. But Rickard said the school board’s attorney advised them that the ruling will likely be applied to those prayers as well.

“We didn’t have to do this now,” Rickard said. “We could have waited to decide on graduation and see if there were any court cases that tested it, but our counsel felt like the same ruling would apply.”

In the past, the student council, with the help of advisors, has selected a student to deliver a message before football games. The messages have included poems and other secular expression.

Graduating seniors have voted on whether to select a student to deliver a “nonsectarian and non-proselytizing”prayer before or after graduation exercises.

Julia Smith, an assistant principal at A.L. Brown, said administrators haven’t discussed the court ruling or board action among themselves or with students or teachers.

“There’s really nothing to discuss,” she said. “We saw the Supreme Court ruling, and we’re going to follow the law.”

A.L. Brown’s football team plays its first home game of the season Friday night, and that’s when school board members and administrators could learn the reaction of students, parents and other fans.

In other places, like Sante Fe, Texas, ministers, students and others have encouraged fans to join in “spontaneous” prayer before games begin.

The Supreme Court ruling has faced the most opposition in the South, where religion is as ingrained as sweet iced tea and churches as prevalent as kudzu.

“This doesn’t mean that people can’t pray,” Rickard said. “People are free to pray at any time, anywhere, and that includes students.”

Students and school staff can read religious materials, including the Bible, and pray during the school day, except when they are in class or at another school activity, according to system policy.

The policy also allows a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.

But Kannapolis is seeing an increasing diversity of cultures and religious beliefs, Rickard said, and the school system has a responsibility to respect everyone.