Jessica Ahlquist sits down with Ari Shaffir on Skeptic Tank Episode 127 to talk about the infamous prayer banner, the fallout and what she’s been up to since.
Jessica Ahlquist (born June 21, 1995) is a student at Cranston High School West, who became known in 2012 after a lawsuit to remove a religious prayer banner from her school auditorium. The suit, Ahlquist v. Cranston, was filed with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union, and was ultimately settled in Ahlquist’s favor. During the lawsuit, Ahlquist received hate mail and was verbally attacked by her peers, media outlets, and online. She received death threats, and required police escorts to and from classes. On the day following the ruling, Rhode Island State Representative Peter G. Palumbo spoke on a local radio show and referred to Ahlquist as “an evil little thing”.
After The Prayer Banner Removal
Since the lawsuit, Ahlquist has received a variety of media attention, and she has been an invited speaker at a number of events, including the Reason Rally, the Texas Freethought Convention and Skepticon 5.
Two high school students from other states have described their objections to school prayer banner as inspired by her activism. She has spoken frequently on gay rights and campaigned for legalizing same-sex marriage in her state. She has received a number of awards, including the 2011 Thomas Jefferson Youth Activist and the American Humanist Association’s 2012 Humanist Pioneer Award.
The now infamous prayer banner event has sparked much debate over the use of religious sayings in public schools and other state run areas. It seems as though some Americans have long forgotten one of the main reasons this country came to be. Religious freedom. That means not only freedom to practice the religion you choose but also freedom from religion entirely. It may be too early to tell but I see Jessica Ahlquist the push this society was looking for.
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