Jianna Henegar (FGCU): religion in school

A big question that Christians ask courts and school teachers is “why is prayer not aloud in school.” The obvious answer is because everyone has different beliefs on religions and even the supreme court says that prayer in schools is unconstitutional. But, many people who just do not accept the idea that the government doesn’t have the authority to promote the beliefs and rituals of some particular religion. And for the record, teachers are not priests. Even after centuries of the Supreme court denying the right for prayer in schools, many people are raising the argument that this is an attempt to destroy their religion. With more than arguing taking place, law suits are the big issue. For example: Two students and their mother have filed suit against the Doniphan School District in southeast Missouri. This was filed on their behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Eastern Missouri, the lawsuit claims that on two successive days in May 2005, school assemblies at Doniphan Elementary School began with teachers leading a prayer. The ACLU notes in a press release that the family bringing the suit is “not Christian,” while both prayers were “Christian.” I believe that a law suit was an over extreme, however, the Supreme Court has already announced that prayer in school is unconstitutional! I do not understand why people just don’t leave the religion factor alone in school. I believe that religion is one factor anyone should bring up, especially in schools, because of all the different religions out in this world today. This social issue will continue to be an issue because people want their religion heard and for it to not be destroyed.

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3 Responses to “Jianna Henegar (FGCU): religion in school”

  1. M. Riddle (Edison) says:

    In the United States, public schools are prohibited from sponsoring religious observances such as daily prayer. The legal basis for this prohibition is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which requires that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (Originally, the amendment applied only to the central government, but the Fourteenth Amendment had the effect of applying it to all levels of government.) Prayer itself is not forbidden while at school. Regarding the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, the courts have consistently ruled that students’ expressions of religious views through prayer or otherwise cannot be abridged unless they can be shown to cause substantial disruption in the school.

  2. Jonathan R. Jacob says:

    These lawsuits are a necessity in the world we live in today. Religious teachings in schools is just a push for the United States to become a theocracy by converting children who don’t have the faculties to make the decision for themselves. Personally, I believe that the lawsuit is warranted due to the fact that the school violated constitutional law; the fact that the students who were subjected to Christian teachings may have very well been offended if their religion is in opposition to Christianity.

    The point of the lawsuit is not to destroy religion, but limit it to private practice as it is meant to be. Most religious scholars speak of a “private connection with god”; if that is truly the case then it should remain that way. Prostelyzation is a huge problem, especially in the face of the Christian sects as most of them require some form of it in their obedience to their God. Religious is a personal matter, it has no place in a state sponsored school.

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