Topic 2: Prayer in Public Schools
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Topic 2: Prayer in Public Schools
Do you think there should or should NOT be prayer in public schools? Why?
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Guruchaz | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 09:13 am  I think there should be optional prayer in public schools. Those who want to pray can join in. Those that don't, it's no big deal. I remember when we used to pray in elementary school but that's about it. See what it's done to me since then? uh huh huh All jokes aside, I believe in optional prayer in public schools because I feel it helps provide another strand to the moral fiber of most people. There are always exceptions but for the most part, we are all products of our own environment and a little prayer now and then never hurts for those that feel the need to do so. I'm not a priest so I can't expound on that any further. |
Merlin | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 09:44 am  All jokes aside, I think that optional prayer in public schools is acceptable. My only hesitation/concern is that the optional prayer is generally structured under the predominant cultural belief in our country which is Christianity. Our country is very varied in its religious beliefs, and for a young person to find out that the religious belief that their parents are handing down to them do not *match* with everyone else, makes me hesitate. I don't see a way around it, so let whoever wants to pray do it. |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 09:51 am  I agree, Guru. In high school we had "moments of silence" and everyone had the opportunity to pray or not to. I think you should at least be given the option. |
Azriel | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:07 am  When I was in elementary and jr. high school, we said the Pledge of Allegiance and had a minute of silent prayer every morning. Both, of these were voluntary and there were those that stood silently and didn't participate. We all peeked to see who wasn't putting their hand over their heart during the pledge or bowing their head during the prayer, but I never saw anyone ridiculed for not participating. I thought it was something that brought everyone together for a moment. We all shared a pride in being a part of a free, proud country and having the right to bow our head and pray to whomever we wanted to pray. |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:16 am  Well said, Az. |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:22 am  Though I am a fairly religious person, and conservative, I am also an advocate of separation of church and state, as well as free speech. I do think that the prayer in school has been blown out of proportions. I live close to Santa Fe, Texas where the big decision just came down this year on prayer at football games. This was pretty much taking it to the limit, as far as I am concerned. But we do have to respect the rights of all of our citizens, and one of those rights is freedom of religion. And we are also constitutionally required to keep church and state separated. It is not fair to "force" people to participate in a religious observance that is contrary to their own. We also must keep vigilant that we do not return to the times when the church-state controls both our lives and our minds - though I think this is highly unlikely during the near future. I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that the intepretation of the Supreme Court essentially says that prayer or other religious rites cannot be performed in public schools which receive federal money, especially by a member of a religious organization. However a student may speak inspirational words to his classmates if asked. I think this is probably a good compromise that allows the students to decide their own fates. |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:24 am  But shouldn't the child who wants to pray have an oppportunity to? |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:26 am  It is my understanding that there is no proscription about a child praying in school. It just can't be an event that all are required to participate in. |
Newamush | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:26 am  I agree with Elitist. I think it is important to give the students the right to make their own decision. But what about the parents? As I am sure most are aware, a lot a parents are very religious and want to past it along to their children. In most cases, the children would have no say in the matter. Do we give in the parents? Maybe schools should offer extra-curricular religious activities. Not having children myself and not having to deal with the school systems, it's a little hard for me to voice on what the schools are doing and what they are not. So, basically, this is all an uninformed opinion |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:27 am  New, most schools cringe at any mention of religion. They don't even want to get into it. |
Newamush | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:30 am  That what I would figure. It comes back to the church and state issue. My definite opinion is that prayer should not be mandatory, but an option. I see no reason why 5 minutes of a day can't be used for individual religious expression. But, on the other hand, why can't those 5 minutes be at home? |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:33 am  New - there shouldn't be extra-curricular religious activity cause that ain't the role of the schools. The church should be sponsoring those types of activities. |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:35 am  Like Az said, it brings everyone together at the beginning of the day. Kind of starts everyone off on the same foot. |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:36 am  Is the Pledge of Allegiance voluntary now? |
Cammie | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 10:40 am  They still say it but can't force a child that doesn't want to. |
Azriel | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:18 am  The separation of church and state is open to interpretation I think. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion... Many people see this as saying that Congress cannot make an official religion such as the Church of England. I personally think that is what they were speaking of, too. Religion was very much a part of our government from the beginning. A prayer is still said at the beginning of a every session of the House and Senate and the president is sworn in with his hand on the Bible, for goodness sakes. Nowhere is the phrase 'separation of church and state' mentioned in the Bill of Rights. |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:20 am  However the interpretation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights has made it true. |
Azriel | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:24 am  The interpretation by whom? A Supreme Court comprised of mostly liberals? |
Elitist | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:25 am  Mostly by the courts whether it be Supreme or not. And this has been going on for a while now - have they all been liberals? |
Ocean_Islands | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:27 am  Religion's involvement in government across the centuries has shown us that it only leads to abuse. As teachers and other public school officials are employees of the government, and we separate church and state in the United States, prayer has no business being in schools. That said, any child who wants to pray has the freedom to do so where he or she is. Private schools exist for any other religious instruction. This is just another example of parents not wanting to take responsibility for their children's education (by sending them to a private school which will teach them to pray, presumably). |
Azriel | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:32 am  It's been going on since the 70's and yes most of the courts have been liberal. |
Ocean_Islands | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 11:39 am  This is not about the courts. This is about whether you want your children to be told what to pray. Is that what you want? |
Juju2bigdog | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 12:01 pm  Having no children, this is an abstraction for me. I would weigh in with separation of church and state. It is the duty (or not) of the parents to provide religious training. I put in my time in bible school. Let today's little blighters do it too. (plus, it gives you lots of answers to Jeopardy that you didn't even know you knew.)
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Azriel | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 12:09 pm  I want my child to go to school at a place with a moral and ethical atmosphere. I don't want one religion plucked out of a hat and established as the 'official religion'. But I do want the Judeo-Christian morals and ethics that this country was founded on to be allowed to be predominate. I don't understand why people fear a minute of silent prayer will cause harm to a child. |
Spamgirl | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 01:41 pm  I'm a little late but... If I wanted my kid to pray, I'd give them a rug and some rosary beads and tell them to cut out of class to do it. That's my business. Canada's pretty good about this stuff, mixing of religions and all (at least in Toronto, which IS the most multicultural city in the world). Besides, prayer is a private, meaningful thing, and I don't think that kids in school really appreciate it anyways. (When we had "prayer time" when I went to school, I'd be thinking about the boy I liked, or what I was going to do at recess, not praying) |
Spamgirl | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 01:46 pm  And I have a question - if a kid wants to pray in school, why can't he just do it when he feels like it? Why do we have to designate ONE TIME during the day to have the opportunity? My communications with god are 24 hours a day, when I need to, I talk to him... I don't think that prayer should be so confined anyways... Why not pray at recess? Or lunch hour? Or before class? Hell, if you need to, DURING class? What's stopping them? It's an internal process anyway (that's why it's a "moment of silence", not a "moment of talking") and therefore can be done anytime, anywhere, without anyone knowing. Just don't know why we have to have a TIME to do it... |
Spamgirl | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 01:49 pm  Newamush said: "Maybe schools should offer extra-curricular religious activities." My high school did! We had the Hindu Club, the Christian Club, the Jewish Club... after school they got together, discussed their religion, prayed, did their other religious rituals, discussed their book of faith, whatever... We never even questioned it... why NOT have it? Doesn't hurt anyone... and the only thing the school had to "pay for" was time in the classroom that they used, which is pretty much free... I mean, they weren't asking for sponsorship to visit the holy land or anything! |
Misslibra | Sunday, January 14, 2001 - 05:59 pm  My opinion on this is leaning towards Ocean, and Elitist views on this. Now having said that I happen to have went to a Catholic school, even though I was Baptist. I went to Mass every morning before school started. And even though I wasn't catholic, I had no problem with going to Mass every morning. But I do believe the church and state need to stay seperate. You can always have pray with your child before you send them off to school in the morning. |
Guruchaz | Monday, January 15, 2001 - 03:16 pm  Our school had a Hare Krishna Club. They always came around during lunchtime for whatever reason. |
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