What is the big deal on prayers in schools?

Question

For many years I thought that it was a good thing to believe in God. I go to a public school and we are not allowed to pray during practices.Many do but, its crushall if you get caught. So Im doing a project on Prayers in Public schools. Can anyone help me prove my point on why it should be allowed. If you have any good websites or any thing that would be great. I feel that do to the first amendment peole should be allowed as long as no one is forced to join. Please help me.

Answer 1

The students have a legal right to pray on their own if they wish without interference from the teachers or staff. (As long as it doesn't interrupt class time or other students educational time.)
The prayer can not be mandatory or guided by the teachers or staff.

**If you are praying during practice time, that might be considered inappropriate because it's during the class time. Class can not be stopped for ANY length of time for the purpose of students praying. This is important to understand. No other students should have to stand around for even a minute during what is supposed to be their class time to wait for people to finish praying. It's taking time away from their day and their education. Between classes, or during lunch or recess is fine. Once the bell rings to start class, you can not use class time to pray.

Here is the law as it is written.
(From the Department of Education website)

As a condition of receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, an LEA must certify in writing to its SEA that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.
The guidance clarifies the rights of students to pray in public schools. As stated in the guidance, the First Amendment forbids religious activity that is sponsored by the government but protects religious activity that is initiated by private individuals'' such as students. Therefore, ``[a]mong other things, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, the lunch hour, or other non instructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities.'' Public schools should not be hostile to the religious rights of their students and their families.
At the same time, school officials may not ``compel students to participate in prayer or other religious activities.'' Nor may teachers, school administrators, and other school employees, when acting in their official capacities as representatives of the State, encourage or discourage prayer or actively participate in those activities with students.

Answer 2

Who's prayers are we talking about? The Christians? Muslims? Wiccans?

Do you see what I'm getting at? If formal prayer is allowed for members of one religion, then it must be allowed for all. To do this would allow no time for what school is intended --education.

You might counter that a moment of silence could be used in place of formal prayer, for each person to reflect or pray as they see fit. I have no problem with that, but if a moment is interpreted as one minute, that adds up to 3 hours of lost education each year. Over a 12-year school career, that equals 36 hours, or over a week's worth of lost schooling. That's not acceptable.

It would be best for those who wish to pray to do so at home, on the way to school, or before entering the classroom. Just my opinion.

Answer 3

Prayer IS allowed in schools. What are you talking about?


My son and daughter pray ALL THE TIME in school.

However if you want the SCHOOL to sponsor prayer and make everyone participate or you want to proselytize on school time, then you are against the laws of the constitution because the school is a public governement institution.

But absolutely nothing is stopping you or a group of friends from going somewhere and praying to the Father in PRIVATE just as your Jesus instructed you to do.

Answer 4

There is no law in public school forbidding you close your eyes & pray to yourself in school. What is wrong is for a pubic school to promote a certain religious belief over any other. A public school is an extension of the government which is secular & views all religions equity. A teacher can not stand in front of a class & teach Christianity & tell the Jewish, Muslim & Buddhist kids that their religion is wrong. I have seen this concept taken to an extreme by some who think there should be no acknowledgment of god at all in school. This is what you may be experiencing. I have also seen the other side of the coin where Christians claim persecution because they can not force their beliefs on others in the pubic schools. Thats what your church is for.

Answer 5

When God said I believe its in Matthew about prayer he said enter into your closet. That means don't be like the Pharisees who love to pray long and in public. I don't need everyone knowing I pray. I don't have to make a public announcement that I am fixing to pray. Prayer is personal, between you and God. So prayer is school is ok but stick to what the bible teaches about it.

Answer 6

If people wish to pray at recess or during any free time they have, I do not have a problem with it.

It is also allowed in most schools in the US. What is not allowed is teaching of religion or mandatory prayer at any time.

Answer 7

It is allowed.

Schools cannot keep you from praying, only from having teachers lead prayer, or in some cases they can stop all lead prayer. Personal prayer is always allowed as long as it is not interfering with anything else and is done on your time.

If your school is not allowing it at all then they are breaking the law.

Answer 8

To me the 'big deal' is that not everyone believes the same thing. There will be someone who is left out and kids in school are cruel sometimes. The ones who are left out will become outsiders and be susceptible to bullying among other things. It would create an even wider divide than we already have in schools today. Also the separation of church and state that we are supposed to have. Having prayer in public schools so obviously disregards that.

Answer 9

To who and how are the prayers conducted?

Nothing prevents a student from praying quietly to themselves - Nothing. Group prayer just causes un-necessary grief and only works well in a theocracy. We have freedom of/from religion in America. It should stay that way.

Answer 10

Legally, students are allowed to pray all they want in public schools, the public school such as the teachers are just not allowed to be part of it i.e. lead it.