By Nicole Daughhetee

Courier Staff

COUNTY — During last month’s School District of Pickens County board of trustees meeting, the majority of board members — Alex Saitta, Jimmy Gillespie, Herb Cooper and chair Judy Edwards — voted to eliminate student-led invocation from the agenda of the board meetings. However, this did not stop one private citizen from offering her own sectarian prayer prior to Monday night’s school board meeting.

Sonya Hoxit, a Pickens County resident who vocally opposed the removal of the sectarian-based student-led invocations at the start of the meetings, signed up during the public citizens’ input portion of the meeting and offered her own prayer at the meeting.

Hoxit offered a prayer to Jesus, asking for wisdom for the school board members in their decision-making processes during the board meeting.

“We just thank you, God, that you are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Again, I pray for wisdom and safety for the school board,” she prayed. “We thank you and we praise your holy name. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

After hundreds of Pickens County residents attended board meetings in March and April urging SDPC board members to keep student-led invocations on the agenda — despite the threat of a possible lawsuit from members of the Freedom from Religion Foundation — Hoxit was the only Pickens County resident to attend and offer prayer during Monday night’s meeting.