PACE - Thursday, a local high school principal and athletic director could be put in jail for six months for their part in a prayer at school-day luncheon.

Back in January, Principal Frank Lay, along with the rest of the Santa Rosa County School District, agreed to not in any way promote religion or prayer at school.

The alleged prayer took place just a few days after that agreement was entered into in federal court, part of a lawsuit settlement with the ACLU.

Channel Three's Dan Thomas explains what parents and students plan to do to protest the contempt of court trial Thursday.

This is a typical school day at Pace High School. The buses are packed with students, and so is the parking lot.

But if the students and parent we talked to are any indication, this will be a much different picture Thursday.

These Pace High Patriots won't be on this bus Thursday.

Mike Hegarty/Pace High Senior: "I'm definitely going to the courthouse."

Gabbie Del Valle/Pace High Sophomore: "I'm most likely going to go to the courthouse, I don't care if my Mom likes it or not, I'm going."

Courtney Zernick/Pace High Sophomore: "I'm going to try to take a personal day, I think I'm going to be sick."

There's so much support for Lay, the Student Government Association is selling these T-shirts, modeled after a bag of chips, featuring the date of the trial in the bar code.

Fatima Hawkins/Pace High Parent: "He's used to praying, just like I pray at home before I have a meal."

Fatima Hawkin's 16-year-old was in band practice Wednesday morning, but the note has already been written. Thursday, they'll be protesting at the federal courthouse.

Hawkins: "She believes what has happened is not to throw Mr. Lay or Mr. Freeman in jail or take away their pensions after 30 years."

Voice of "Mary"/Pace Parent: "They need to get this over with."

Not every parent will be pulling their kids out.

"Mary" called us to say she doesn't agree with the protest, but declined to go on camera.

"Mary": "My child needs to be in school, they're there for an education. I take my children to church and I teach them the Bible at home."

As for those T-shirts, the kids tell us the money is going to the Student Government Association, not to Frank Lay's defense fund, which now has about 70 thousand dollars.

Reporting at Pace High School, Dan Thomas, Channel Three News.Student Support Builds for Lay and Freeman