Tennessee AG Calls Nashville School's Muslim Prayer Room 'Unconstitutional'

State attorney general says school crossed line from allowing religious exercise to actively promoting it.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:14pm

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A dynamic, fragmented painting depicting the chaotic energy of a school hallway, with overlapping geometric shapes and figures in motion, conceptually representing the political tensions surrounding the issue of religion in public education.The debate over the role of religion in public schools continues, as a Tennessee school's accommodation of Muslim students during Ramadan sparks a constitutional clash.Today in Nashville

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has criticized a Nashville public school's accommodation of Muslim students during Ramadan, calling it 'blatantly unconstitutional.' Skrmetti said the school crossed the line from allowing religious exercise to actively promoting it by setting up a dedicated Islamic prayer room and encouraging students to skip class to use it.

Why it matters

The case highlights the ongoing debate over the role of religion in public schools and the balance between the First Amendment's free exercise and establishment clauses. It comes as Tennessee lawmakers grapple with similar issues, with a recent bill that would have required public schools to set aside time for prayer and Bible reading being temporarily tabled.

The details

According to reports, a Metro Nashville Public Schools employee set up a dedicated Islamic prayer room at John Overton High School and encouraged Muslim students to skip class to use it. The school also reportedly permitted over 80 students to skip class daily during Ramadan prayer sessions and provided 'food-free' classrooms for fasting students.

  • During Ramadan, the school allowed Muslim students to skip class daily for prayer sessions.
  • Outside of Ramadan, students are reportedly permitted to leave school grounds once a month to pray.

The players

Jonathan Skrmetti

The Tennessee Attorney General who criticized the Nashville school's actions as 'blatantly unconstitutional.'

John Overton High School

A Nashville public school that accommodated Muslim students during Ramadan by setting up a dedicated prayer room and allowing them to skip class for prayer sessions.

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What they’re saying

“'Free exercise says the government can't stop you from practicing your religion. The establishment clause, as interpreted, and as we hear about every time the legislature tries to do anything these days, says that the state can't … participate in promoting particular religious viewpoints.'”

— Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee Attorney General

“'So if the school is dedicating resources to something, that's a very different situation than if the students are self-organizing. I look at it as an attempt to propagandize and proselytize [non-Muslim] students. That's my view.'”

— Jonathan Skrmetti, Tennessee Attorney General

What’s next

Skrmetti teased further state action on the issue, saying 'I expect that we'll be hearing more about it one way or another.'

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between religious freedom and the separation of church and state in public schools, with the Tennessee attorney general arguing the Nashville school crossed a constitutional line in its accommodation of Muslim students.