(April 29, 2015 at 9:30 pm)KevinM1 Wrote:(April 29, 2015 at 7:05 pm)Polaris Wrote: I would allow all religions and all would be able to worship as they see fit (within reason). I would also cut out the extreme interpretations of the Separation of Church and State. If someone wants to pray at school, I say let them. I would also allow places for Moslems to ritually wash themselves for prayer.
Prayer is allowed in public school. What is not allowed is school staff leading/participating in those prayers while on the clock, or special time provided for prayer. But, nothing is stopping little Johnny or little Sally from saying grace before eating their PB&J, or silently praying during reading time, or praying during recess, or anything else on their own that doesn't interfere with how classes or run or how the other students learn.
It's a bit more difficult with other religions that require more upkeep. Like, I believe Islam requires semi-regular genuflection on prayer rugs. I'm not sure how that, or something like that, would work from a logistical POV. Kids are in school for, what, 6-8 hours a day? That's basically enough time to spend a little less than an hour on each subject (English, Math, Science, History, Art/Music/Gym, High School Elective(like, a foreign language)), time for lunch and 1-2 recesses/study hall. School days are pretty packed as is.
But, yeah, the Christians raging about how "they took prayer out of our schools!" is such BS. Teachers are prohibited from joining in/leading prayer because they're employed by the state. If they did pray, the implication would be that the religion favored by that/those teachers - whatever it may be - is endorsed by the state itself to the exclusion of all others as teachers are working as representatives of the state. Which is a clear violation of the 1st Amendment.
But there's nothing outside of the normal, don't-interfere-with-class rules prohibiting any student from praying.
I really don't care if some kid wants to pray in school, so long as it doesn't interfere with my niece and nephew's focus in the classroom.
Teachers don't represent the government. Also the same lines as military folk can't go to political events in their uniform....who really cares?
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.