14 DAY TRIAL // Being overtly religious has gotten a bus driver from Richfield, Minnesota fired. The man is a pastor and driving a school bus has been his second job for a while.
49-year-old George Nathaniel III also preaches at two separate Minneapolis churches. This is his second year driving for Durham School Services.
Nathaniel explains that he has never forced his religious beliefs on children on the bus. However, he would try to engage them in prayer.
“We start out with a song. Then each person will pray if they want to pray. If they don't want to pray, they don't have to pray.
“I will pray and ask them if they want to join me in prayer. Just give them something constructive and positive to go to school with,” he tells CBS Minnesota.
He argues that prayer alone is not a good reason to fire someone. He was given two new routes recently, driving children at Edward D. Neill Elementary School and Metcalf Junior High School in Burnsville.
“I’m a preacher and that’s what I do. […] To fire a bus driver for praying for the safety of the children is not right,” he says.
Durham spokeswoman Molly Hart explains that they do not have a policy on prayers on the bus. The company has received complaints from parents and has given out warnings.
“There have been more complaints of religious material on the bus as well as other complaints regarding performance. In accordance with the previous final written warning you received, your employment is hereby terminated,” the decision he was sent on October 30 reads, as reported by Star Tribune.
Nathaniel insists that the decision is not constitutional.
“They are trying to take away every right the Christian has to express our Christian belief in this supposed to have been Christian nation,” he says.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota disagrees, as forcing his beliefs can be disruptive for students and violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.