Keisha Russell, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, says Taryn Israelson wanted to pray for and with the faculty and staff at J.R. Smith Elementary School in Heber City, Utah.
"She felt led to have a prayer chain, so on a piece of paper, she posted something that just said, 'Need prayer? Text me to be added to the prayer chain,'" Russell relays.
She asked three of her non-religious coworkers to make sure that wording was not offensive.
A First Liberty press release explains the human resources manager approved Israelson's flyer two years ago, but this year, the school principal told her to take it down.
"Even though other people are allowed to post things in the break room, she's not allowed to post that just because it's religious," the attorney summarizes.
That, she asserts, is a violation of the Constitution and federal law.
"We wrote a letter on behalf Taryn Israelson; First Liberty and [the law firm] Mayer Brown got together and wrote a letter on her behalf, and we're hoping the school district will do the right thing," says Russell.
The Wasatch County School District has until May 14 to respond. If Israelson is not allowed to continue posting her prayer chain, then litigation will be considered.
First Liberty notes that that the Supreme Court has repeatedly found that the First Amendment requires public school leaders to be neutral toward religion.
