Prayer in public school.

[ZeroX]

Know I am no basis atheist by all means. And not some ignorant Christan either. I am more lax in between the middle of the 2 view points. I would like to know what you gentlemen think of a public school hosting a prayer every morning before the flag salute. My school is thinking about it, not forgetting the fact that Fallbrook, CA is a bible belt run town. Could peoples first amendment right be in fridge upon with this being inforced?

[iago]

Well, we used to say the Lord's Prayer every morning for most of school, and by grade 2 I had it completely memorized, but had no idea what it meant. For what that's worth.

I would so no, unless you also take time for a prayer for Jews, Muslims, Hindu, and anybody else who goes there.

[Sidoh]

Yep, I'd have to agree with iago.  There are far too many religions -- it's just silly to allot time for one without allowing for the others.

[ZeroX]

Yep, I'd have to agree with iago.  There are far too many religions -- it's just silly to allot time for one without allowing for the others.

Being that Majority of where I live are devote christens and when I mean Majority I say 94% I would feel that this could get passed. A momment of silence might work so any faiths can praise their gods in that allowed time. I might suggest that to the VP

[iago]

A momment of silence might work so any faiths can praise their gods in that allowed time. I might suggest that to the VP

That's a great idea for a compromise.

Just make sure they let the atheists turn to their neighbours and play hangman. (kidding!)

[Sidoh]

Just make sure they let the atheists turn to their neighbours and play hangman. (kidding!)

Hahaha!

Zero, I don't think it's fair to accommodate only for the majority, but I think your suggestion gets around that.  Call it a "moment of silence," not "Lord's Prayer" time.  That'd only cause unneeded controversy.

[iago]

Just make sure they let the atheists turn to their neighbours and play hangman. (kidding!)

Hahaha!

That's a joke from my CISSP book I'm reading.

"If you get too technical with managers, their eyes will glaze over. If you get too businessy with the IT guys, they'll start playing Hangman with their neighbours."

[Blaze]

Heh, here in Ontario they banned the Lord's Prayer in public schools.  We spent like five classes discussing this topic in my law class.

http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/timePortals/milestones/122mile.asp

[nslay]

I don't see any problem with prayer in school...so long as it doesn't infringe on anybody else.  I would be opposed to the school delaying class time for prayer...it infringes on non-religious classmates' time.  I would also be opposed to the school requring prayer as that infringes on non-religious classmates' beliefs.

Probably the best solution is:  Have your religious peers come 30 minutes before class and pray then.  No harm done.
Probably the worst solution is:  Try to force the school to allot class time and special privileges for your religious peers.  That's unjust.

As for banning prayer...that's almost as bad as requiring it.

[Towelie]

Have your religious peers come 30 minutes before class and pray then.  No harm done.

Thats exactly what I was thinking :)

[CrAz3D]

If your school is ONLY state funded and doesn't have some sort of provision against established religion, go for it, but if you recieve federal money there shouldn't be a specific prayer said.  Moment of silence works.


All of our highschools pray at graduation, it's tradition, it's culture, it's what we do.  I don't think it'll change any time soon.  Although, some nut job has already sued our school for the use of three crosses as a logo (it's been used for years, this moron recently moved here and decided to file a law suit).  The VAST majority of this town A) wishes this man would shut up B) wishes this man would leave C) wishes this man would kick the bucket ... and I think opinion (A) is the minority of those three

[AntiVirus]

"A moment of silence" is what I would suggest.  I encourage people praying whenever they can and I see no reason for a school to not allot some amount of time for students to pray to their God.

[Falcon]

The school district I went to had a 1 minute "moment of silence" every morning. I think thats the best solution, people can pray to whatever God they believe, and the atheists can just take a nap.

[Joe]

This is totally inapplicable to my current school as it's online, but last year in my old school a subject like this came up. The conclusion, a Christian club was started at 7:30AM on Thursdays. A staff member had to sponsor any club, but fortunately our VP was in on that. The sad part -- nobody goes.

This is about the right to do it, not the opportunity to do it, I'm guessing.

[CrAz3D]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5484610.html