Does anyone really believe school prayer should be allowed?

Question

Or is it just a political tactic?

No matter how it's sliced, you're going to offend someone. How about we give them breaks every time it's time to pray towards Mecca? What baptist would be up in arms for that?

I think this us just used as a blatant political tool to keep religion in the spotlight.

Answer 1

It's propaganda... just something for these other people to cry about. No, it shouldn't be allowed in school. Religion should be taught in the home. You want your child to pray in the morning, have them do it before the bus gets there.

John D - how about we hold Pagan Rituals? It wouldn't hurt the other kids to sit quietly for a minute till the Pagans were done. It really shouldn't offend anyone if a couple of Wiccans Opened a Circle and called upon the Goddess. Next we'll allow the Jews to pray. Then the Muslims. The Buddhists should get equal time as well. Then the Hindu's. No one should really be offended if we teach your children our religion(s) right?

Answer 2

Prayer in schools is a matter of our constitution. In order to not have a state sponsored religion, you have to avoid sponsoring religious practices. There are a lot of folks that say "hey, I'm not offended, why would anyone else be?". That makes sense, if you remove the event from the context of a classroom that may be 90% christian, and10% other.

Those who won't be offended then won't be offended when a pagan says a prayer, or perhaps a native american wants to chant a prayer, nobody will be offended by having to listen to it. I've heard enough first hand complaints from Christians that fear their children can have their faith shaken by exposure to such things...I can't imagine that they would be "ok" with a situation where they would get exposure like that.

The bottome line is, if the state sponsors prayer, you'll have all kinds of issues concerning when they can pray, how they can pray, etc. That's why the people responsible for the Constitution were adamant that there not be a mixture of religion and government. If people want their kids to pray, teach them at home or at church...they shouldn't be learning that at school.

As for prayer being part of the quality of schools equation...I think that's complete imagination. I think you can more accurately attribute the fall of school quality to the movement to dual income households and the lack of parental involvement in their child's education.

Last week, curriculum night at the local school. 1 set of parents showed up for the 4th grade, which has over 75 students. That's unbelievable.

Answer 3

I'm assuming that this question is pointed at people in the United States, only 'cuz that's really all I'm sure about.

So, constitutionally, everyone (atheists, Christians, Muslims, Buddhist, and whoever else) has the right to their own religion. This includes prayer.

There's a catch, though. You can only exercise your right so long as you do not trample on other people's rights. So if your religion says to kill someone (hypothetical, I'm not saying any religion does this), then you don't have that right because others have a right to live.

So the question with prayer and right for me is, do people have the right to trample on my religion? Another good question is, am I destroying anyone's rights by doing a prayer?

I don't understand why people started banning prayers in school. The courts have been kinda back and forth on it.

My personal belief: Let everyone pray in their own way in school. Just don't go pushing that your way is better or something. Preaching should be kept outside of public schools.

Answer 4

A moment of silence accomodates most religions, does it not? Are we pretty much just talking about leaving out Islam? I have no problem with allowing children extra opportunities to pray and be mindful and silent during the day. Why wouldn't Christians want that?

I went to public schools. I prayed silently or with others in the hall if I wanted and even carried and read in a Bible sometimes. I did not proseyletize or force anyone to participate in my own practices.

I occasionally teach evening classes at a large, local state university. When Muslim students request they be allowed to be late 15 minutes so they can say evening prayers I always make sure to accommodate them and encourage them not to rush - which s also how I have treated differently abled people and one expectant mother.

So what's the big deal in having more tolerance for peoples' needs? What's this iron clad case for less that gets you so hyped up?

Answer 5

Prayer should not be part of the curriculum; including generic prayer breaks.

Students who require religious practice, that cannot be completed at morning/afternoon recess or lunchtime, can always be excused from class if parents write a note.

There is no need for all the fuss.

Besides, there are always moments during class when kids are doing nothing-or just spacing out. Students won't miss anything if they take 30-40 seconds to pray.

Answer 6

The schools here where I live already have rooms set aside for Muslim students to do their 5 times a day praying. No rooms for any other religions tho. The kids are also being taught the Muslim religion (only,no other religion is allowed to be taught) in Social studies, parents have no say in the matter.

Answer 7

I promise you if some great and sudden disaster happens in America you will see every child, teacher, principal and staff praying to Almighty God for this country in the school room.

Do you think a soldier in a foxhole wonders about offending anyone? When I came out of that foxhole I would be saying Jesus have mercy upon me. Lord give me strenghth to make it through this day. I wouldn't care if the whole world heard me as long as Jesus heard me.

If I heard an Islamic prayer it wouldn't bother me. I would feel sorry for the person praying.

Answer 8

A child can prey whenever they choose, no one has the right to tell them not to. but my atheist tax dollars should not go towards religion being actively taught in school, also which one will be taught ? christianity? and why that one?

yes prayer should be allowed , but not taught. It should be up to the student and have nothing to do with the school system.

Answer 9

Why was it not a problem before? Up until the 1960s all schools here began with prayer. This was done for hundreds of years, Why is it such an issue now? It seems people have no tolerance for others beliefs anymore. I suggest giving a moment of silence, Students can pray as they wish or not.

Answer 10

I think if a student wants to pray silently, he can do so, with or without permission.

No one can stop someone from praying silently.
Don't you feel as if those who wish to pray may do so?
No one can stop them.

I pray all the time. No one knows I am doing so.
What is wrong with that? I am offending no one.
Are you in favor of mind control?
Surely Not!

The school in which I teach has ONE MINUTE of silence in the morning. Those who wish to pray can do so. Those who don't stand and think about the day or just be totally quiet for ONE MINUTE.
How is that hurting or offending anyone?
Is being quiet for one minute offensive to you?