OLD TOWN — The school board on Tuesday sent back to subcommittee the issue of whether religious prayer or moments of silence were permitted in any form in the city’s schools.

With no discussion, board Chairman Sandra Pinkham referred questions raised earlier this month in the board’s curriculum and policy subcommittee back to the committee for further review Nov. 9.

Outgoing board member Ralph Coffman, an advocate of school prayer who had requested the board review the matter, explained after meeting that despite U.S. Supreme Court rulings, there was uncertainty over what is allowed in public schools.

As a state representative and a board member, Coffman said constituents told him of concerns about the inconsistencies on school prayer and meditation. Legislative sessions start with prayers, and the Pledge of Allegiance contains the words “One nation under God,” he said, yet students aren’t allowed elsewhere in public schools to repeat these words.

Coffman said he wanted the board to develop a policy that “clearly states in black and white what can be done and what can’t be done.”

While the Supreme Court in recent years has strongly reaffirmed its decades-old stance against prayers in schools, it has at times been ambiguous.

In late June 1992, the deeply divided Supreme Court, for example, ruled against officially sponsored prayers at public school graduation exercises. A year later, however, the court left intact a lower court ruling that allowed a group of Texas students to lead prayers at graduation.

Superintendent John Grady acknowledged that he believed that the Supreme Court rulings preclude official school involvement in prayer or moments of silence. As for the other circumstances, he urged caution, saying, “I just don’t think we should be tangling” with these issues.

Also sent back to the subcommittee were concerns raised by Coffman that the School Department was not doing enough in dealing with discipline problems occurring after school.

He cited a fight more than a month ago between an Old Town student and one from Indian Island after a football game. He said after the meeting that little was done to the student who caused the fight, that the matter was left up to parents when school disciplinary action should have been taken.

During the meeting, board member Beverly Damien voiced opposition to Coffman’s comments saying that the schools can only do so much.

“I think a parent has to take responsibility somewhere,” she said.

Also during the meeting Grady reported that an estimated 4 to 5 percent reduction in the number of students tuitioned to Old Town schools from the surrounding area could result in a $50,000 to $100,000 loss in revenue in Old Town.

The board met for 20 minutes behind closed doors in executive session to discuss teacher negotiations. Grady reported afterward that a second session with a mediator has been set for Monday, Oct. 25.