I am asking this because there have been teachers who have lost their jobs because they prayed or read a verse in the bible in their classrooms.
2006-09-23 05:24:19 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Absolutely. Even if you're a christian, you have to realise that prayer is in no way educational. And asking students to pray is absolutely disgusting. If the teacher is just praying in their own time then fine, but keep it out of the education system.
2006-09-23 05:25:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 6⤋
If something really traumatic happens and the teacher starts praying to him or herself, I'm sure no school would fire him. Say he or she just got a call saying their spouse is dead. But asking the students to pray should be punishable.
I think there should be one warning, and then the second time the person should be fired.
There can be reasons to read verses in class though. For frist source material religious books are often quoted. When students learn world history, in the books are quotes from amny religious books. But it's not to teach religion, it's for a first hand perspective for educational purposes. For example, my teacher read us a verse from the Bible once. We were learning about the justifications for slavery, and one of them was the Hammeric curse, so he read us the line in the Bible about that. Nothing else, just the quote to have some discussion and some notes about it.
2006-09-23 16:09:04 · answer #2 · answered by millancad 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No one should be fired for praying -- it's only when a representative of the state or school (e.g. a teacher) uses their position to endorse a particular practice. They can NOT -- as a teacher -- have a group practice during their role as teacher (even if they say not everyone has to participate). This may be VERY difficult for some people to understand but this GUARANTEES freedom to pray and practice ALL YOU WANT in school, government, etc. because no representative is allowed to endorse. Again, the teacher can pray in school (guaranteed by our separation of church and state) but they can NOT lead others to do so. Imagine a satanist or a muslim or anyone else who asked the kids to engage in their form of practice (e.g. a buddhist would ask not for prayer but for sitting meditation). It's OK for these people to practice their religion in school (e.g. a muslim teacher can stop 5 times a day and recognize Allah) but they can't -- in THEIR ROLE -- engage others in their practice. PLEASE -- it's IMPORTANT to see the difference.
2006-09-23 05:31:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Source(s), please? If you're going to make an assertion such as this, at least give us a link to some news item that will back you up, otherwise you could just be making this stuff up for all we know.
And the law says that schools are public property, since they're paid for with tax money; and the law says the government may not support or favor any one religion over another; therefore if a government employee such as a teacher asks or encourages or forces students to pray, s/he is breaking the law. I'd recommend one warning, then dismissal if s/he does it a second time.
2006-09-23 05:27:52 · answer #4 · answered by ? 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
A teacher or staff member may not read a bible verse or pray in their classroom, at least not in a way apparent to the kids, because a teacher is 'the state.' Children are compelled to be in school and therefore when a teacher practices their religion in front of the class, the children are compelled to practice this religion also, and that's unconstitutional.
Even in the remote hamlets of America, today not everyone is a Christian, not everyone is in the same Christian cult - i mean, sect - and therefore school teachers must stop pretending they're hanging out at a church social.
2006-09-23 05:29:04 · answer #5 · answered by t jefferson 3 · 5⤊ 3⤋
YES! As teachers, they are agents of the state in which they are employed, in essence, government employees.
Students are what is called a 'captive audience' and I don't mean that they're entranced by what the teacher says -- they are held captive to being part of the audience. They are not allowed to convienantly excuse themselves.
What if the teacher suddenly wanted to quote from the Satanic Bible? How about the Bagavad Gita? How about the Quran?
2006-09-23 05:33:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I think teachers by now should be aware of the guidelines set up to exclude religion from their lessons. I think it is a tragedy but it is a rule. I think I would send notes home for the parents to sign to give permission to participate in activities that were questionable or send home an explanation as to what the bible verse read had to do with the lesson I was teaching. In that way you could perhaps circumvent some problems.
2006-09-23 05:29:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
We can pray where ever we like as for asking students, if it's on school time @ school, no we should ask, many would think it a requirement.
A student however, in most places can legally lead prayer.
We are worth a Son to God.
2006-09-23 05:34:09 · answer #8 · answered by thomasnotdoubting 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, just like they would be fired if they did a Satanic ritual in the classroom. Not everyone has the same belief, but a lot of fundies just don't grasp that concept.
2006-09-23 05:42:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I studied in a Christian school. We were suppose to pray three times everyday. We had scripture classes and one hour of bible reading in the assembly. Though christianity is not my religon I was happy to learn about it. I specially loved the stories from the Bible. I think if you teach religon in schools you should teach all of them and not promote your own beliefs.
2006-09-23 05:35:53 · answer #10 · answered by ash_m_79 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Q1: "Should school staff be fired for praying in schools, ..."
A1: No. The constitution gives everyone the right to free speach. As a public school employee, I pray in school - usually before eating my lunch.
Q2: "...for asking students to pray?"
A: No school staff person asks students to pray. Students DO have a right to pray whenever they want as long as it's not disruptive.
2006-09-23 05:30:21 · answer #11 · answered by Pearly Gator 3 · 3⤊ 3⤋