Do you think Prayer should be allowed in Public Schools? Why? Would it violate the Seperation of Church and State? Should Teachers be able to lead Prayers?

Your thoughts.

Shinsengumi89

i think that it should be allowed in school. but since we have freedom of religion, students shouldn't be forced to take part in prayers. i don't think that teachers should be able to lead prayers, because not everyone has the same religion, and a teacher should not be allowed to force religion on some students. but i don't think students should get in trouble for wanting to pray in school.

I think the should be able to pray in school

it shouldnt be forced on a child to pray in school which is what alot of ppl have misconceptions about if the child does wish to pray in school then he/she should be allowed to and if he/she isnt then thats their decision

no. forcing someone to pray in school is bad, cuz you're being forced to do it. if we had to do it, where would freedom of thought and religion go?

Yes, and no.

No, prayer should not be part of the public school program. Ever. Yes, you should allow individuals to pray in any legal way they wish (no human sacrifices, I mean).

Let me explain. First, if a teacher is leading prayer, s/he might not be of the religion that is being led. That, of course, becomes a "wtf?" moment. Second, seperation of church and state dictates that there be no established religion in any public facility. This means every religion...

Tell me. If a less mainstream religion (in America), such as..oh, I don't know, Paganism, were the religion in question, how would people react? Just imagine their outrage. That my friends, is hypocrisy. The only thing we could do is provide services for every possible religion for every child - which turns it into more of a multi-church than school.

We are not at a school to pray. We are there to learn. Education first, leave the drama and stupid crap at home.

Prayer should be allowed in school. I like the way it is now: http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/prayer-in-school.htm

^ Note that that site isn't very good, but the except it took from Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary & Secondary Schools relating to the current status of prayer in schools is good.

Prayer should not be compulsory. A child or his/her parents should beable to choose whether to pray or not. I don't see a problem in having a morning prayer session before classs begins as long as it's not compulsory.

It should be allowed albeit with restrictions. Since this is a country of freedoms then the students should be given a set amount of time to perform any religious obligations they have or just prepare for classes. The teachers should not lead prayers (note this is applicable to public schools only) and should be required to present differing points of view if religion is discussed.

its a good idea but theres gonna be one atheist parent thats gonna ruin it for everyone like what happened with the pledge of alligiance , there child could excluded ''under god'' kept going but didnt told his/her parents and made a big mess.

yes, prayer should be allowed in public schools because it wouldn't be a democracy if it wasn't. However, it should not be incorporated into the public school program. Teachers should not be able to lead prayer (ie that would mean its incorporated into the school program.)

But it should definately be allowed if a religious people chooses to pray before an exam as long as hes not interfering with someone else etc. thats what democracy is all about.

I believe it would violate church and state if it was incorporated into the school curriculum, but to ban prayer in school completely would be communism. people have a right to believe in what they want as long as it doesn't break the law.

Prayer should be allowed, after all religious or not its a part of our freedom from living in America. I dont understand where some poeple get off saying that you should not be allowed to.

I pretty much agree with the majority of what's been said here...prayer should be allowed in school.

I mean, if it's not being forced on everyone else... *shrug* I suppose I don't see what right anyone has to potentially ban it from schools. I've not had to deal with this personally as of yet, but if it ever should come up I'll fight for the freedom of it.

If you don't pray in my school I won't think in your church.

Separation of church and state. If you want to pray, do it privately, without bothering others who don't rely on sky pixies to dictate their life. Prayer should definitely not be allowed as part of the curriculum or led by teachers, but private, individual prayer is a right that people have, no matter how much of an atheist I am.

Shouldn't people be able to get freedom of speech? praying doesn't bother anyone, so they should be able to. Of course this doesn't mean they can push others into their religion or their prayers, but...
And teachers leading prayers, well... I don't think that should be done in a school unless none of the classmates disagrees.
I am in pain. Can you tell why?

I think that people can make a religion club to meet after school or if they want to pray before a test or something then we can't keep them from doing it, but the school should not be able to have official prayer groups or class prayer. You can't stop an individual from praying wherever they want, but you can't force people to pray.

Quote by KidderPrayer should not be compulsory. A child or his/her parents should beable to choose whether to pray or not. I don't see a problem in having a morning prayer session before classs begins as long as it's not compulsory.

I disagree, the schools cannot promote any religious activities. They can allow religious activities (e.g. after school clubs), but they cannot set aside time for people to pray (especially since not all religions necessarily use prayers, or in Islam it has to be at certain times during the day, thus promoting religions that use prayer and religions which prayer is at any time over those which have specified times or no prayer at all).

oh come on people. who, besides like 4 people in the entire world, cant wait till they get home to pray. this is ridiculous! the only reason they fight for it, is because religon has lost everywhere else and they are just looking to dick around some more. i find it offensive, not that they are praying, but that they are going through the trouble to allow this in school, when they could put their efforts to things that religon is supposed to care about. spreading the word of God to other countries that havent heard it, and helping the hungry and poor and that jazz. get things straight, im almost positive that God would want u to help people, not piss them off.

Prayer is totally fine if it's done alone or in a religious club meeting. However, school-imposed prayer time is never okay, even if it's not compulsory. Kids in a school are too usually young to be able to be the sheep that runs from the herd, so to speak. In a prayer situation, they'll pray even if it's just because everyone else is doing it. The US Supreme Court has also seen this, and it thus disallowed prayer in school.

Quote by perloxoh come on people. who, besides like 4 people in the entire world, cant wait till they get home to pray. this is ridiculous! the only reason they fight for it, is because religon has lost everywhere else and they are just looking to dick around some more. i find it offensive, not that they are praying, but that they are going through the trouble to allow this in school, when they could put their efforts to things that religon is supposed to care about. spreading the word of God to other countries that havent heard it, and helping the hungry and poor and that jazz. get things straight, im almost positive that God would want u to help people, not piss them off.

It is not been in question either they can wait until they get home to pray or not.
Nor is it the point that religion 'has lost everywhere else' (which is untrue).

Prayer should be allowed at school as long as it disturbs no one. For if not, it would violate 'freedom of speech'.

"And teachers leading prayers, well... I don't think that should be done in a school unless none of the classmates disagrees." -Haohmaru77

You are right to some degree. If there is no complain then why not?
However, church is a church and school is a school.
A school is not a place for preaching. That what you call a church.
Therefore, a teacher has no lieu preaching in a school.

NO
apart i hate praying, and the school... and my country, religion and government (in my case) is like water and oil, now private schools to pray is something common for church schools.
I had friends who prays (Arianna) and she's free to do it in a public school.

I think it should...though not imposed on those who don't pray (atheists, etc.). It isn't a breach of separation of Church and state since this is an aspect that deals with the personal life of the individual...
Although I think that praying shouldn't affect or disrupt the classes or activities in the school, in the same way that the individual shouldn't be forced to do stuff that would be in direct violation of his or her religious beliefs... ^^

I think it shoud be allowed. Freedom of religion is a law in my country, after all. Anyway, religion is something very personal. If you're very devout, then I think there shouldn't be anything that prevents you from following your religion. As long as it's not enforced that you MUST pray, then I feel that it should be allowed.