I would like to know, if I am the only one who thinks it wrong, for children to pray in school. I read an article about a high school principal, who argued if a student does not want to pray, they can leave the class, or turn away. I think this is wrong, children should not be subjected to this. What are you thoughts?
2007-02-14 12:21:24 · 36 answers · asked by beygrl 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I agree with you. No child should be made feel inferior or unAmerican because they are part of the religious minority or are non-religious.
2007-02-14 12:25:53 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
I think the freedom to pray or not pray is good to teach children. They can learn at an early age to accept and tolerate and coexist peacefully with those who choose differently. Why shouldn't children learn that in school? They are taught about our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Why not learn how that is applied in life? Freedom of or from religion is a fundamental freedom. Why should religious kids not be allowed to pray in school? As long as either choice (pray or not pray) is recognized as legitimate, the school is doing a good job.
2007-02-14 12:29:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's fine if the kid prays during the Moment of Silence that every public school has.
That's what the Moment of Silence is for.
So they can either pray, or reflect on the day ahead. Or take a two minute nap.
Religion and faith are personal affairs.
I think if there's a petition in schools because they "can't pray" I think there should also be one allowing children to pee in the hallway. Is prayer bad? No. Is peeing bad? No. But there's a time and a place for them both.
2007-02-14 12:27:34 · answer #3 · answered by Annie 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Peer pressure will keep that atheist child glued in their seat ... and that is wrong. I'm a Christian, and I know that God wants us to be loving about our faith, and that is not loving. To subject a child to such peer pressure will only push that child further away from what could be a great faith one day.
If they want to give the Christian children an opportunity to exercise their right to pray, then have a moment of silence and let each child do their own thing. Inform the parents that they should instruct their child on what to do during that moment of silence.
Besides, formal prayer at school (and I've attended both private faith schools as well as the old days of public prayer) is wasted on kids, they are eager to begin using those little minds.
2007-02-14 12:27:20 · answer #4 · answered by arewethereyet 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
I think that while prayer shouldn't be enforced in school, it shouldn't be stopped if students WANT to do it. Stopping them from praying voluntarily is as bad as making people pray who are disinclined to do so. Freedom of religion goes both ways.
2007-02-14 12:26:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Prayer in school should be allowed on the children's own time. Not as a group. since we live in a country that allows freedom of religion we ought to be able to pray in school however often we want. but not as a group unless ALL kids agree on it.
2007-02-14 12:28:00 · answer #6 · answered by stpolycarp77 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I totally agree. In this country we have separation of church and state. Peer pressure is so great with kids, I could see a child being badly effected if he had to stand up and say he didn't want to pray. Which religion's prayer would be used? I wonder how Christians would feel if their child said a Muslim prayer?
2007-02-14 12:26:00 · answer #7 · answered by sngcanary 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I think it is wrong for anybody to pray. It is a waste of time. However, I don't think that people should be prohibited from praying on their own time if it is not disruptive.
Teachers should not be leading prayer. School is not church. Public school is public, i.e. for everybody. Promoting religion in public school is divisive for no reason. It is very disruptive and harmful.
Much of a kid's time in school is their own time, so they can do what they want during that time. However, they should not be allowed to disrupt class.
2007-02-14 12:24:38 · answer #8 · answered by nondescript 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
If the school is not a private school, prayer should not be imposed on kids. There is separation of church and state whether people who like to pray like it or not.
2007-02-14 12:24:47 · answer #9 · answered by Militant Agnostic 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No you are not the only one. Lots of people believe in supporting the constitution and having public schools steer clear of religion including prayer.
2007-02-14 12:24:20 · answer #10 · answered by gruz 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I agree. In public schools, students should not be praying. They should be learning the curriculum, and save their prayers for church or synagogue off school grounds on not on school time.
2007-02-14 12:39:45 · answer #11 · answered by CC 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋