is it illegal to pray at school?

Question

is it illegal to pray at school with friends or your own

Answer 1

YES IT IS LEGAL, WE ARE NOT A COMMUNIST COUNTRY. This is of course America I am speaking of.

Answer 2

You can pray on your own.

The Supreme Court has made clear that prayers organized or sponsored by a public school violate the First Amendment, whether in the classroom, over the public-address system, at a graduation exercise or even at a high school football game. The same rule applies whether the activity is prayer or devotional Bible reading.

However, students are free to pray alone or in groups, as long as the activity is not disruptive and does not infringe upon the rights of others. These activities must be truly voluntary and student-initiated.

For example, students are permitted to gather around the flagpole for prayer before school begins, as long as the event is not sponsored by the school and other students are not pressured to attend.

Students do not have a right to force a captive audience to participate in religious exercises.

Answer 3

It's not illegal to pray at school, you just have to do so outside class time and not force it on other people, that kind of thing. The only illegal prayer in most states is /required/ prayer.

Answer 4

No. It is not illegal for you or your friends to pray, as long as the payer is not led; by faculty or staff, in a school gathering, and in some states in graduation. Other than that, you can pray .

Answer 5

No, of course not. Freedom of speech even applies to religious speech. But the school can't endorse one religion over another. Students can pray, but the school can't announce a prayer over the PA system and make everyone participate in it, or even have a moment of silence for the purpose of prayer.

Answer 6

No -- you are free to engage in any private activity you want as long as you don't disrupt the school.

In other words -- if a school policy could prohibit you from quoting shakespeare reciting song lyrics than it can also stop you from praying -- but it cannot single out one of those as invalid.

However -- public schools cannot organize prayer meetings, or have the prayer done in a public manner that requires other students to attend. That crosses the line from a private activity to a school-sponsored activity.

Answer 7

No. You can pray all you want but the school cannot enforce any rules that say students have to pray or have to follow any particular religious codes. Unless of course it is a private religious school.

Answer 8

No, it is illegal for the school to organize prayer. You can pray in school all you want.

Answer 9

not at all. Forced prayer in a public school is illegal. If it is voluntary - not required - then it's perfectly legal. You can not impose your religion on somebody else, though.

I know of a couple private schools near where I live that are aligned with the Roman Catholic church. My understanding is that they make prayer a part of their daily routine. I did not attend one though.

Answer 10

No

But it is illegal for it to be school sanctioned due to separation of church and state.

...As it should be, by the way. As someone who's non-religious it's extremely alienating being told to bow your head before starting the day in a place where there's supposed to be no segregation/discrimination, allegedly.

Answer 11

You are allowed to pray at school. However, the school administration/teachers cannot lead or supervise it and cannot ask or demand that other students participate.