A Tennessee high school has been accused of violating students’ constitutional rights after an appearance by Memphis rapper Project Pat.
In late December 2025, the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) wrote a letter to Haywood County Schools after Pat was scheduled to speak at an assembly at Haywood High School on December 5, 2025. FFRF claimed in its letter that the rally violated the students’ First Amendment rights.
During the rally, Pat planned to quote the Bible, talk about God, lead students in prayer and distribute an “explicitly missionary” book, according to FFRF. FFRF claimed that Pat planned to tell students that he wanted them to accept Jesus as their savior.
FFRF’s letter included a screenshot of a Haywood High School Facebook post that reportedly thanked Project Pat for showing up at the school. The post is currently not visible on the Haywood High School Facebook page.
In the letter, FFRF asked Haywood County Schools to investigate the rally and “ensure that the school will not allow future guest speakers to abuse their access to public school students to promote religion or proselytize students.”
Earlier this month, FFRF released a letter purporting to be from Haywood County Schools. The letter states that the Haywood County Board of Education “understands the importance of the First Amendment rights of students and employees” and has “no intention or attempt to circumvent those rights.”
The letter appears to be signed by Sheriff Aimee Marsh.
ABC24 has reached out to Haywood County Schools and Marsh to confirm if the district wrote the letter in response to the FFRF.