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-- Prayer in Public School: Do you support it?

Prayer in Public School: Do you support it?

I was curious to what opinions on prayer in public school are. More specificaly, I want to see what the arguement is for prayer in public schools.

There have been cases (I can't remember specific ones off hand) about this topic. I believe the more recent ones have been stopped. (Meaning the prayer in public school was found unconstitutional) It violates the First Amendment, or so the people against it say.

I am a bit neutral on the topic. I'm 100% sure that I wouldn't be taking part in these activies, because I strongly disagree with the beliefs attatched to religion. I don't however care if someone chooses to pray within a public school, as long as it's not being forced upon someone else.

By being forced upon by someone else, I mean... If I was on a football team, and the coach wanted everybody to gather around for a prayer before the game, I would find it offensive to take part in it.

Public schools here are run by the government....i'm guessing this is also the case overseas.

Best to keep religion out of government run insitiutions imo.

I wouldn't seek to ban it completely though, just in organized form.

I think that if people wants to pray, let them. But i dont think there should be any organized prayer every morning that more or less everyone have to take part in (even if they dont pray, they will still have to listen to it which is just bullshit if you are not christian).

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew I think that if people wants to pray, let them. But i dont think there should be any organized prayer every morning that more or less everyone have to take part in (even if they dont pray, they will still have to listen to it which is just bullshit if you are not christian).

Agreed. There's nothing wrong with it as long as it's not led by a teacher or government employee and it's not enforced. If someone wants to pray or organize a group to do so then that's fine, but it can't be led or encouraged by a government employee. I suppose it's worth mentioning that Christianity isn't the only issue at hand either, there are areas and schools in predominantly Christian countries where a religion like Islam or Judaism is the majority faith at a school, so in a sense if you sanction official prayer you've just got the same problem, just with Christians on the receiving end heh.

I'd say that, unless the child's parents are opposed to this (or if the child is strongly opposed), let 'em 'ave it.

Hell no. It would only make some sort of sense if the entire country was christian, which is not the case.

quote:

Originally posted by arctic Agreed. There's nothing wrong with it as long as it's not led by a teacher or government employee and it's not enforced. If someone wants to pray or organize a group to do so then that's fine, but it can't be led or encouraged by a government employee. I suppose it's worth mentioning that Christianity isn't the only issue at hand either, there are areas and schools in predominantly Christian countries where a religion like Islam or Judaism is the majority faith at a school, so in a sense if you sanction official prayer you've just got the same problem, just with Christians on the receiving end heh.

What about a government building?

quote:

Originally posted by shaolin_ZHell no. It would only make some sort of sense if the entire country was christian, which is not the case.

Which is where his statement makes sense.

The Supreme Court struck down the right to organized prayer in schools on the grounds that it holds others as "captive audience", meaning that, despite whether or not others wish to partake in the prayer, they are left helpless in hearing it -- and for children so young, if it goes against the belief structure instilled in them by their parents it could be psychologically confusing and/or damaging.

Also, the Supreme Court considered that the children who choose not to partake in school prayer will be a minority, and as we all know, in elementary school, any child in a minority is prone to vicious teasing, etc. Why start religious conflicts in the schools?

Not all people practice the same religion so prayer should not be practiced.

I agree with St. Andrew on this. Organized prayer can't be part of public school, but students on their own should have the right to individual prayer.

there's probably always been prayer in schools, as long as students have tried to cram for tests.

on the question whether the government should mandate that students pray, or that the government set aside time to pray, i am wholeheartedly against it.

by mandating students to pray, the government may end up discriminating against some religions, something that may be prohibited under the constitution. some children may feel compelled to pray even though it goes against their beleifs or religious practice.

by setting time for prayer or nonprayer activities (as a way to get around mandated prayer constitutional problems), students may still feel compelled to pray fearing social retribution. this would also intrude on the time designated for education, which is already in limited supply.

What I want to know is: Where are people going to school in which praying is such a big deal? I attend a fairly diverse school, around 2,500 students, and I have never witnessed prayer be an issue.

Institute a voucher system than you don't have to worry about it anymore.

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Originally posted by denny_shibby Institute a voucher system than you don't have to worry about it anymore.

So now you're in favor of raising taxes? Simply taking it from public school funding will only worsen the education for students who remain in public schoo.

the secularism is very important at school. Prayer at school is a plague.

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