Mark Alcorn is a high school and college history instructor in Minnesota. Hana M. Dierenfeld, Bruce J. Vitale Changed America. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, Levy, Leonard W. Bomboy, Scott. Ryman and J. Mark Alcorn. Prayer in Public Schools [electronic resource].
Other articles in Issues Related to Religion. Pontotoc County School District, F. Supp , N. See also Hall v. Koch, F. Perry, F. Gilmore, F. Gwinnett County School Dist. Duncanville Independent School Dist. Douglas County School Dist. John Doe, F. Weisman, U. Chandler Unified School Dist. Doe, U. Jackson Public School Dist. Capistrano Unified School Dist.
Vincent, U. Madigan, F. Indian River School District, F. Cleveland Board of Education, F. Tangipahoa Parish School, F. Supreme Court in its Marsh decision.
However, the court did not reach the ultimate question of whether the prayers occurring at school board meetings were unconstitutional. Skip Navigation. Expand search Search. Free Speech. Religious Freedom. Are vocal prayer and Bible reading in the classroom permitted? Can there be prayer before or after athletic events or activities? Can there be prayer at graduation ceremonies? Maddox, Robert L. Separation of Church and State. The proposed amendments would cause nothing but trouble considering that there would be many arguments on what beliefs should be taught.
Religion is private and schools are public. Having any prayer in school goes against the basis in which our country was formed upon. The Supreme Court determined that school prayer that is organized and made public is unconstitutional. This means that the only kind of prayer that is allowed in schools is private prayer that is voluntary and personal. In other words, no one can be forced to pray or to participate in a prayer service against their will.
There are really two sides to this issue. On one side you have the people who say separation of church and state means that the church or religion should not be involved in anything that is state or federally funded with tax dollars.
If religion in school was to be removed completely many rights would be violated. The question of whether or not it is wrong to remove religion from school has one simple answer, yes it is wrong. On the other hand, what nonbeliever would want his children to participate in prayer with his taxpayer money? It certainly may be said that the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities.
Nothing we have said here indicates that such study of the Bible or of religion, when presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, may not be effected consistently with the First Amendment.
But the exercises here do not fall into those categories. If the majority of people want prayer in schools, they should be able to have it. Under the First Amendment, all religious and non-religious beliefs have equal rights.
The majority does not have the right to impose its views on the minority simply because it has numerical superiority. The lack of official prayer in schools has spawned negative consequences, such as violence and school shootings.
Such claims are symptomatic of what could be characterized as lazy thinking in that they attempt to link two things that, in fact, have no connection at all i.
Furthermore, the claim that school prayer will cure every ill that plagues modern society is simplistic. The difficulties that some schools and by extension entire communities are undergoing are complicated and will require equally complex solutions.
It is up to parents, not public school officials, to decide what religion, if any, a child is exposed to. When public school officials interfere in this relationship by imposing prayer and religious activity on youngsters against their will, they are usurping parental rights.
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