I need three reasons why there should not be mandated christian prayer in public schools?

Question

please :)

Answer 1

1) Against the Constitution. To institute mandated Christian prayer in public schools would be akin to the government mandating a religious test for public service, because teachers perform a public service on behalf of the government. The 6th Article forbids such a test.
2) It would be forcing a belief on children at an impressionable age that is against the beliefs of the parents. Not all children are from Christian families. And even if they are Christian, they still might be a different form of Christian belief than is promoted by the prayer.
3) Schools are for teaching facts, not superstitions. Let the schools teach and the churches preach. Neither does the other well.

Answer 2

When I was in grade school, there was mandated christian prayer in my 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. It made me feel like an outsider, being Jewish, and I told my parents about it. They went to the school with some other Jewish parents and asked for it to stop or at least have some readings from the Torah. They were virtually laughed out of the school. You want prayer in school? Everytime a student hears "okay, put your books away...I'm giving you a quiz", believe me, they pray. Everyone can pray wherever they are and just do it silently. Why, oh why, does it have to be "mandated"? And have you thought about how that would work? Do you think Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc. would just stand by while this was "mandated"? No, they would immediately inform the authorities and it would be stopped.

Answer 3

Well see I think everyone should have the right to believe and follow what they please, but if a person is really invested in wanting their child to be able to pray in school, they can simply send them to a private school. where its more than likely required anyway. Here is how I like to explain it to those who think prayer should be required in schools. What if a school required your child to pray to another deity besides what your beliefs held (such as satan, buddah, or any other in which you didn't believe or approve of). How would that make you feel? This lets people see how it feels from the other side, besides their own. Of course they wouldn't like it and probably would do anything in their part to stop it. I think a child has the right if they wish to pray before a meal or anything, but to be a requirement is another thing. See the bad thing about this, is prayer still happens even though it has been removed from schools. I've only been out of high school a few years and I remember having to attend an assembly where the lady actually asked all those that were christian to stand up. Then she got them to sit down and did a prayer, telling everyone to bow their heads. I think this is the type of prayer that shouldn't be allowed, not each individual wanting to pray for themselves or even a group of people who get together to pray. It's is when it is 'mandatory' or forced upon everyone when it should be disallowed.

Answer 4

How about the reverse?

Three reasons subjects from Public Schools should not be mandated in Christian Churches-

You see why there is separation of Church and State, the two have places that they meet, and places that must be separate.

Private Schools are a different matter, therein lies your answer.

Answer 5

1- unconstitutional. Mandated prayer is breaking one of our most basic rights in this country.
2- A lot of kids aren't Christian! They shouldn't have to pray in a way that they don't feel right about. Just like other people shouldn't have to pray in a way they don't believe in. It would really signal certain kids out of the group, and that could could cause problems for them.
3- I think prayer in a graduation ceremony or something like that is fine, but during classes isn't a place for it, unless the kid wants to without causing attention to himself. Kids are there to learn, and if their parents wanted them to learn about Christianity, they would send them to a Christian school.

That being said, I don't think that if a child wants to pray in school, and does it quietly, without drawing attention to him/herself, then that should be allowed. I don't think taking prayer all the way out of school is a good idea either, but hey.. that's just my opinion!

Answer 6

There are not any good reasons as to why there should not be prayer in school. But I can tell you three reason as to why there should be. The Father , The Son , and The Holy Spirit.

Without these Three and the opportunity to prayer we have given in to sin and it immoral rule it has taken in destroying are children ( the shooting of are kid in school, teenage abortion, and many other wrongs)

Whether they be Christian or not given the opportunity too pray is good and right.

Answer 7

1. Not everyone in public school is Christian so shouldn't be forced to either perform Christian religious rituals or feel like an outcast when they choose not to perform Christian religious rituals.
2. It's unconstitutional (see First Amendment).
3. Schools are for education, not the exercise of religious rituals. It's fine to have a class in religion where the various rituals, such as Christian prayer, in various religions are examined and explained; but not where the religion is actually practiced by mandate.

Answer 8

1. Because that would give more people a religious foundation. And, though I do not remember where I read it, it has been found that when youth believe in a higher power, the sense of purpose that comes along with that results in fewer of them getting into legal trouble, thus the politicians would have fewer problems to deal with. And that would be just unthinkable.
2. The increased religious presence could help bring back the patriotism that seams to have disappeared recently. The way that religion could help bring back a patriotic spirit is by teaching them to respect people and especially authority. And we couldn't have people supporting our nation, that would just be wrong.
3. Those who do not believe in any kind of supreme being would have to learn to be tolerant of the majority of this nation who do, and the concept of people being tolerant of one another is completely wrong.

I would say that it might be better to have a non-denominational prayer. It would have virtually the same effect, and it would tick off a few less people.

Edit: For those who say that prayer in school is unconstitutional. The constitution only states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" by restricting prayer from school they are restricting the free exercise of religion. the statement "separation of church and state" is found nowhere in the constitution. It originated in a letter that was sent from one of the founding fathers to another, I do not remember for certain who sent it to who so I will not mention the names. but either way I challenge any of you to find the phrase "separation of Church and State" anywhere in the Constitution or its amendments. You can find it here: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.table.html

One of the reasons that the First amendment was added is to avoid a government mandated religion that everyone was a member of whether they liked it or not. And if you tried to bring in another religion you could get into serious trouble. Many of the people who helped found the United States came here to avoid the opression that they were experiencing in their native lands, and to be able to freely worship God as they choose, not find new and inventive ways of restricting it's practice, and practically turn God into a swear word. If you ask me those who are spearheading this anti-God kick that is being spread, should be tried as the traitors, to the very principles that this nation was founded upon, that they are.

Answer 9

It violates the separation of Church and State - which religion's prayers will you pray? Muslim? Catholic? Hindu? Baptist?

A public school is not the setting for promoting and teaching religion and faith. The place for this is home or the church.

It would interfere with the parents duty and responsibility to raise a child in a faith that the parents have chosen for the child

Please note that I am a Catholic and I consider myself to be a very devout Catholic. Most schools allow a student to pray in school and there are even religious organizations in school. There will be prayer in school as long as there are final exams and pop quizzes.

Answer 10

Not all students are Christians.
Not all teachers are Christians.
To do so would go against the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.


I am a Christian. I have taught in public schools in GA for 26 years.
There should NOT be ANY mandated prayer in ANY public school.....ever.