Prayer in public schools has been a subject of controversy ever since the Supreme Court ruled in 1962 that "any kind of prayer, composed by public school districts, even non-denominational, is unconstitutional government sponsorship of religion" (U.S. Supreme Court Decisions on Separation of Church and State web site). The next year the Court found that "Bible reading over the school intercom was unconstitutional" because it forced a child "to participate in Bible reading and prayer." The Court banned posting the 10 Commandments in school in 1980 and ruled in 1985 that a moment of silence in school, if done to encourage prayer, was unconstitutional (Answers.com). All these decisions are based on the U.S. Constitution which bars the State from sponsoring any particular religion: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech ... " (The U.S. Constitution Online). The teachers and administrators in public schools are considered representatives of the State, which is why they cannot promote religion or prayer in school. However, the Constitution only bars the State and its agents from promoting prayer. It says nothing about what the students may or may not do on their own. Neither the Supreme Court, nor the Constitution has said that a student may not bring a Bible to school, for example, carry it around and read it between classes. Yet, teachers and administrators have prohibited students from bringing a Bible to school. This is a gross misinterpretation of what the Court and the Constitution have ruled. "It is true, unfortunately, that there have been a few overly zealous school administrators who have gone too far and tried to do more than the courts have authorized" (Church/State Separation website). It is not against the law for students to hold hands in a circle and pray together before a football...
If students want to say grace at the table in the school lunch room before a meal, that should be their choice -- as long as teachers and staff have nothing to do with it. When the school makes it against the rules to do these things, they are "prohibiting the free exercise" of religion which is guaranteed in the Constitution. Besides, when you think about it, as long as you aren't bothering anybody else, it should be your own business whether you pray of not -- not the school's.
Public School Prayer: Is it Constitutional and Moral? Proponents of allowing public school prayer cite both legal and moral reasons to allow prayer in public schools. On a legal basis they state that banning prayer in public schools is a violation of our First Amendment right of Free Exercise. From a moral standpoint they cite the so-called degeneration of the public school system and the so-called declining quality of public education
Prayer in Public Schools The issue of prayer in public schools has been the subject of intense debate. That is because religious people would like for their children to be able to follow their religious teachings by praying in school but people who are not religious would prefer that religion was kept out of the public schools altogether. Prayer in public schools is also sometimes a problem for people who are
Prayer in School There was a time in America, where although the constitution guarantees a separation of church and state, many of the government institutions still encouraged or at least included components which were based on religious practices. In the past, the children of American public schools would enter the classroom, stand at attention for the pledge, and then join in with the class in prayer. In the locker room, the
Prayer at Public School Events During the last few years there has been passionate debates concerning prayer in public schools and at public school events. Advocates believe that it is not only a moral issue but prohibition of prayer in public schools denies their right of freedom of religion, while opponents claim it is a violation of separation of state and church. In fact, over recent decades, one of the most litigious
Prayers in Public Schools In the case of Engel v. Vitale (1962), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prayer in the U.S. public school system was unconstitutional and that such prayers "breached the constitutional wall of separation between Church and State." Ever since, the courts around the country have consistently turned down the efforts to reinstitute even the most innocent expression of religious devotion in public funded schools in complete disregard
Prayer in School and Its Historical Context: Prayer in schools is one of the major issues that put teachers, parents, and administrators at odds to an extent that even simple discussions regarding the subject can degenerate into heated debates. In most cases, discussions on prayer result in heated sidebars about morality, rates of crime, and the Constitution. Even though parents, teachers, and administrators continue to debate about prayer, children still have
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