If you dare, argue why prayer should or should not be allowed in school.?

Answer 1

It should be allowed, but not mandated. The First Amendment to the Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free excercise thereof . . . "

The second clause is the one that everyone ignores. Some want to ban religion from public places, based on the first clause, but they skip over the rest of the text.

No one should be required to participate in religious practices, but the Founders never intended that the "Wall of Separation Between Church and State" should mean the prohibition of religion in any place.

They intended to separate Church and State, keeping the two from influencing each other.

But you can never separate Religion from the State, because that religion is a part of the people, and the people comprise the government.

Answer 2

Prayer is allowed in school. We even have a prayer group in my old high school where kids are free to join if they want to and go pray some where every morning. Or people can just pray on their own. No one is told that they can't pray. But any way, here is a reason that public schools should not bring prayer into the classroom: not everyone is the same religion, and not everyone has a religion. It would be unfair for a school to try to make everyone say a certain prayer. Kinda like making a vegan eat animal products...

Answer 3

Public Schools (governments) should only teach: reading, writing, and arithmetic. Since the govts. expand into other area's like science (biology, astronomy, earth sciences) ...well, their breaking their fundamental principal. These are "ELECTIVES" that the Private sector should pick up at additional costs.

It makes no sense that our tax payer dollars are forcing students to learn about Geology, Physic's, or Evolution when they don't care. Face it ... not everyone is going to be a rocket scientist when they grow up. So, providing a sound education the basic three R's (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) would allow students to go after their career more efficiently.

I would also like to point out that since the Public Schools have expanded past the "3 R's" in the 1950's we've seen an steady increase in lethargic attitudes toward education. This is statistilly viable with the drop-out level and test scores. Where it once was a privilege to learn, most students fight their parents and society against this social dogma. Hey, you can take the horse to water but you can't make it drink!!!

There is a direct corelation with student drop outs with the elective corses offered. Then the ghetto kids try to enter community college only to take the same arithmatic class and fail repeatidly. Yeah, those community colleges are "Churning & burning" baby. The situation would correct itself if the Public Schools cut gym, science, and psychological classes ... again the 3 R's need perfected before expanding.

With this, they can shop for education beyond the basic 3 R's. Since this takes the burden off "Public Money" then it becomes the individuals and families desires on what they pursue. Hey, it also solves the "Farming" shortage if a student wants to skip education and earn modest wages.

Families who want to avoid religious education would then shop for such facilites in the Private Sector (Private School) ... and families who valued religion could then purchase education that taught both science and religion in the Private Sector.

Way too much is being funding but "We the People" ... but the govt's to FAT to care about our money and is squandering it because it doesn't have a clue. Sure Public is good if not abused, but we also need to invest on our own Privatly.

Answer 4

There is nothing to prevent a student from saying a prayer in school. In fact, I imagine it happens QUITE a lot during finals week.

Seriously, public prayer in school should only be allowed if ALL faiths have an opportunity to pray in their own way. We have already seen the uproar it cause when a non-Christian was invited to open a session of Congress with a prayer.

Answer 5

I think that the way that the government has the rule of public prayer set up is good, but then again not so good. If you were able to speak openly about jesus in school, then people might learn to dislike you because you are a christian or they might burn your house down and anything else that they are willing to do. If you are not allowed, than those things probably would not happen for that reason. Luckily, you can still pray privately and discuss it with your friends (at least I do). I think it is best to not be able to talk about Jesus openly in school because it would save bodies.

Answer 6

Religion is a very personal thing. All prayer (that I know of) is tied to some sort of a religion. There should be no mixture of church and state. As soon as it is allowed - there will be a need for each students PERSONAL beliefs to be observed while praying.

If you want your kids praying in school - send them to a private school that honors your religion.

Public schools should offer the students a moment of silence. Each religion can pray to whoever they want during that time - or NOT. If the parents have taught them what they want them to know about a paticular religion - the kids will know what to do.

I pray daily. But I don't think public schools need to be promoting it. Academia - not religion - is why we pay taxes towards our public schools.

Answer 7

Unless one is willing to accomodate all religions in a public funded school, then any school would be construed as favoring one or a group of religions. (For example-bowing a head for some faiths is not particularly obtrusive, but then we would have to allow spreading of prayer rugs, or burning of insence and bells). Therefore I think it more than sufficient if a school allows a few minutes for "introspection". If one wishes to pray during this time without disturbing others--it is their Constitutional right to do so. So no, all the school should be providing is time for introspection--and keep church and state separated.

Answer 8

A student has every right to pray silently. Organized prayer is not appropriate in a public school for a very simple reason: those schools are supported by taxes, which are paid by ALL taxpayers, no matter what their religion or lack thereof. It is utterly unfair--and unconstitutional--to ask people to pay taxes to support that.
And, Elaine, there is no comparison between evolution and creationism. It's like saying if they teach astronomy, they should teach astrology. One is a science, the other is not.

Answer 9

Anybody from any faith has the right to pray. The school has no right to have prayer as part of their curriculum.

Matthew 6:5-6
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.


See, even the bible is against such things. Keep prayer to yourself!

Answer 10

The concept of public school was founded on biblical principle. Look up the Old Deluder Satan Law of 1647. The idea that pubic education was even needed..was to combat the satanic ill of ignorance. So those who say dont PUT it in, are misinformed. Its STARTED "in".

Even the least religious contributors to the Constitution acknowledged the invaluable role of faith, in both children and adults.

To remove God from the playground is to hand it over to the devil a la Columbine, VA Tech, Redlake High, Buell Elementary, Grimsley High,...and so many others...

Answer 11

Schools are government institutions. As such they are not subject to religion (separation of church and state).

If students wish to pray silently and anonymously to their deity of choice, no one will know or care. However, if someone wishes to impose their beliefs or take time out of everyone's learning to stage "public" prayer, then I have a problem with that. The job of schools is secular education. Religion and religious teachings and practices are in the realm of churches.