Lord's Prayer halted at school board meeting: 'We cannot have a religious prayer before the Land Acknowledgement'
A Phoenix Union High School District board meeting turned contentious when a board member was blocked from reciting the Lord’s Prayer because it could not precede the 'land acknowledgement.'
A Phoenix Union High School District board meeting turned contentious when board member Jeremiah Cota was blocked from reciting the Lord’s Prayer after being told it could not precede the board’s “land acknowledgement.”
The August 7 incident was captured in a video posted to Cota’s X account, showing the board parliamentarian interrupted the prayer, stating, “We cannot have a religious prayer before the land acknowledgement.”
Land acknowledgements are statements recognizing that an event or institution is located on land historically inhabited or claimed by indigenous peoples. In recent years, many government agencies, universities, and school districts have begun including them at the start of public meetings, often framing them as part of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Cota’s X profile states he is a tribal member of the Free People of the San Carlos Apache.
[RELATED: George Mason orientation begins with Native land acknowledgment, ‘Turtle Island’ video]
Board President Ceyshe Napa upheld the ruling, declared the member out of order, and moved on with the meeting.
Cota said Napa repeatedly refused to follow board procedure, ignoring requests for roll call votes on action items and denying a motion to adjourn by simply saying “No.”
Phoenix Union’s own Rules of Order state that each action item must have a motion and second, and that “a motion to adjourn is in order at any time,” requiring a second and majority vote with no discussion. The rules also require following Robert’s Rules of Order when procedure isn’t otherwise addressed, contradicting Napa’s claim during the meeting that the parliamentary rules are “merely a suggestion.”
Robert’s Rules of Order is a widely used manual for parliamentary procedure that sets guidelines for how meetings should be conducted. It covers everything from how motions are introduced to how debates are handled, with the goal of ensuring orderly, fair, and democratic decision-making.
Many public bodies, including school boards, formally adopt Robert’s Rules to guarantee transparency and consistency.
Calling the actions a violation of district policy, Cota said he plans to pursue “any and all possible remedies” to ensure the board abides by its own rules in future meetings.
Phoenix Union High School District serves more than 28,000 students in the Phoenix, Arizona, area.