prayer in public schools

[jinx]

I was just wondering what your views were.
Can kids pray in school?
Should kids pray in school?
What role can or should schools have when it comes to prayers?
Is a "moment of silence" permitted or not?
When do religious activities in public schools cross over the line between church and state?

[MichaelFilo]

Kids should pray by their own choice. Prayer should be allowed always. Kids are in charge of when they pray, and should pray whenever they want to. A momen tof silence has nothing to do with prayer, it has to do with memorial of the dead.

Religious activities shouldn't control the school and shoul dbe out there only as far as those who are carrying out the activity are willing to push it. Schools shouldn't support or supress religious functions within the school.

Obvious exceptions are public schools.

God bless,
Mikey

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='jinx' date='Mar 2 2005, 09:15 PM'] I was just wondering what your views were.
Can kids pray in school?
Should kids pray in school?
What role can or should schools have when it comes to prayers?
Is a "moment of silence" permitted or not?
When do religious activities in public schools cross over the line between church and state? [/quote]
As long as there are tests there will be prayer in public schools.
There is nothing wrong with a moment of silence everyday.

Christians have the same rights as other students in public schools. Their parent pay taxes like everybody else.

[Melchisedec]

I would say no for certain situations like. Praying in a public assembly, where the principal guides the students into prayer. That is a huge no no for me in a public school. Praying on ones own, I have no problems with. In my public school we had kids who would gather around the flag and pray. Nobody cared.

[burnsspivey]

[quote name='jinx' date='Mar 2 2005, 07:15 PM'] I was just wondering what your views were.
Can kids pray in school?
Should kids pray in school?
What role can or should schools have when it comes to prayers?
Is a "moment of silence" permitted or not?
When do religious activities in public schools cross over the line between church and state? [/quote]
Anyone can pray in school.
People should pray only if they want to.
Schools should have absolutely no role in prayers.
A moment of silence should be/is permitted as long as no particular activity (such as prayer) is encouraged during it.
Any time they are advocated by the administration.

[Fiat_Voluntas_Tua]

I was a public school kid...

I prayed all the time. Prayer is allowed in public school; however, it can not be lead or instructed by a faculty member. Students can meet together and pray all they want. There is such a thing as "Club 121", it is a non-denominational group, but it is still a club where students meet at school to pray.

I would always pray my Rosary while walking inbetween classes, sometimes I would pray the Angelus at the noon bell, and before every test every student (no matter Christian, Jewish, Atheist, of Polytheistic) would bow their head and pray...It is a fact for all high school students

I had a teacher who let me come late to classes because daily Mass wouldn't get out untill 7:30am and class started at 7:45, but she didn't care. She also hung a Rosary from her computer, and had a huge picture of St. Monica (maybe St. Clare) on her classroom wall. She would always quote the Bible saying it was "Historical information" She was my favorite teacher!

Totus Tuus,
Andrew Jospeh