Now when I ask this before you go off blerting out answers I'm a Christian and I don't think it's fair that we can't say a prayer in school if we want to. I feel the government should make it optional and if the athiust don't like it they don't have to be around it but stopping the majority of students from doing what they believe in is crazy. Now America was founded as being the land of compromise. I think this issue should also be compromised by making it optional. and student led. I feel teachers and admins need to keep a neutral ground because we all know if you put decisions in the hand of a small majority they will get there agenda passed(current Bush Administration) without considering how it would effect everyone else.
2006-06-23 06:08:28 · 17 answers · asked by tyee2005 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
i think you're a little misinformed. the law just states that they cant make anyone pray, and as a public school (run by the government) they cant belong to any specific denomintation. you can pray all you want and nobody can stop you.
that way they cant force you to do anything against your beliefs. imagine if your teacher was jewish and made you say jewish prayers in class. well, thats wrong. but for years teachers (mostly christians, the majority religion in the US) lead classes in prayer sessions, and taught things according to their own religious beliefs. but thats not fair to students that are jewish, muslim, atheists, agnostics, taoists, buddhist, etc. thats why they made the law. but, thats not stopping you from praying. you can pray all you like and nobody can stop you, as long as you're still doing your school work, and you're not forcing others to pray with you.
so, the best thing for you to do might be to create an afterschool prayer group. as long as its not during school hours, i bet that you could organize a group of other students with similar beliefs and meet maybe once a week or something, say some prayers, talk about your views, help each other with any issues you want to share, etc. the idea of having it led by a student is a good idea. you could probably do it in the school library or something. good luck!
2006-06-23 06:16:42 · answer #1 · answered by hellion210 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anyone and everyone can pray in schools. It just can't be organized by the school. It should NOT be in the classroom ever though. If a group of Christian students would like to pray together, they can gather in the hallway during break, say their prayer, and enter the classroom. Once in the classroom, all discussion should be on the subject matter, it should not be about religious doctrine or prayer. If that's it what someone prefers then they should send their child to a Christian/ Catholic / Hebrew school of their choice.
2006-06-23 13:26:05 · answer #2 · answered by WBrian_28 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are places to teach prayer. They're called churches, synagogues, mosques. The school system has no place teaching religion.
Nothing says a student cannot pray in school. The Supreme Court ruled, however, that a school administration holding an organized prayer violated the First Amendment's clause about "establishment of religion."
-jeremy & gale-
So something that happened a few years ago caused a societal trend that started 80 years ago? Amazing cause & effect.
2006-06-23 13:11:54 · answer #3 · answered by bequalming 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see nothing wrong with optional prayer or allowing students a moment of silence so that they can pray amongst themselves to whatever God they honor. I am however, against kids being asked to join in group prayer in a public school. There are Christian schools, Catholic Schools, etc. Leave definitive prayer in those schools. But I am all for "options."
2006-06-23 13:21:01 · answer #4 · answered by thebarbiewitch 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
prayer shouldn't be added because not everyone's religious. Also then there would be a huge dispute over what religion to preach. The school can go with the majority because there's the freedom of religion.
2006-06-30 13:41:12 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can remeber saying the pledge every morning in class, and my kids say it now. It goes like this here: ONE COUNTRY, UNDER GOD. This country was founded on prayer, lets keep it that way. I am not a religious person, meaning i don't go to church every sunday, but i do pray to God. People need something to give them hope, and He should be it. So you don't beleive in God, thats your problem. The rest of us dont believe that damn chicken foot you carry around will actually make our hair fall out. But the point is, we dont care that you carry it.
2006-06-23 16:49:43 · answer #6 · answered by trebobnagrom 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anyone can pray to any God they want to in school. Your teacher cannot pray with you and the principal cannot pray over the PA system. I think that's a pretty good system. In fact, Christian and any other religious groups can use school buildings to hold meetings and pray together outside of school hours.
2006-06-23 13:10:11 · answer #7 · answered by James 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. You can pray on your own time, government and religion should remain separated always. Schools that except tax revenue are by default government institutions. I don't want any religious dogma in my child's learning environment.
2006-06-30 01:13:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely! Prayer should be allowed in school for those who wish to pray.
2006-06-23 13:18:45 · answer #9 · answered by Rick N 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is one and only one way to prevent someone from praying anywhere they want. Kill them.
Group prayers is an entirely different issue.
2006-06-23 13:18:00 · answer #10 · answered by gimpalomg 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋