By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — Pickens County School Board trustee Alex Saitta surprised his fellow board members Monday night by motioning that prayer before meetings be put on the agenda for next month’s meeting.

Board member Phillip Bowers seconded the motion.

The Supreme Court upheld prayer at meetings of public bodies in a case filed against the city of Greece, N.Y., last year. The Pickens County prayer policy was sent to the policy committee in July and August to bring it in line with the Greece, N.Y., policy.

In September, the new rewritten policy passed council on first reading with a 6-0 vote, but the motion was tabled in October in order to allow the district’s insurance company and the attorney general to review the policy to be sure of its legality.

“A motion is tabled to postpone an item for future consideration, not kill it,” Saitta said. “Months have passed since that information has come back to the board. (There’s) no reason to delay the final vote any more.

“The policy deserves a simple up or down, and that’s what it will finally get in March.”

Saitta said though he could have pushed for a vote on the matter Monday night, board member Dr. Herbert Cooper was absent from the meeting and Saitta felt the entire board deserved a chance to vote on the matter.

Saitta’s motion passed with a 3-2 vote, with board members Judy Edwards and Brian Swords voting against it.