A school bus driver was fired last week for asking children on his morning route to pray with him, despite being asked to stop by his company more than once.
George Nathaniel III, who is also a pastor at Elite Church of the First Born and Grace Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis, said "To fire a bus driver for praying for the safety of the children" is not right, according to a story by the Star Tribune.
His former employer, Durham School Services, received a number of complaints by the school district of Burnsville, Minnesota, though Nathaniel chose to avoid their instruction to stop praying during his routes.
"I let them know I am a pastor and I am going to pray," said Nathaniel, according to the Star Tribune. "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. Then 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."
Nathaniel was sent a formal letter on Oct. 30 saying he was being fired due to complaints of religious material on the bus and complaints regarding his performance, according to CBS News.
The former driver said in an interview that he feels he has his right to freedom of religion, and should be allowed to express his Christian belief.
ACLU legal director Teresa Nelson disagrees with Nathaniel however, saying he actually violated the First Amendment by asking kids to take part in prayer while on the bus.
"The school bus is a captive audience. When he is driving the bus he is acting like a school official and he does not have the right to proselytize or promote religion in that context," said Nelson, according to CBS News.
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