Express Your Religion

As long as kids aren't ailenated and the school doesn't become involved in supporting just one religion, I believe also they should be able to express themselves.

I believe that it is fine for an individual to pray in a public setting, and express their religion. If someone chooses to do so, I believe it should be their responsibility to not disturb or disrupt those around them.

I agree! Mjsmith11 and the author of this pod are trying to say they DON'T have the right to pray in school when they actually do and always have had that right. The just can't and should NOT be allowed to dictate to others to whom they can pray or when.

They wrongly think freedom is the freedom to FORCE Christian prayer on others who may not believe as they do!

They are the ULTIMATE hypocrites.

You can pray in school, you and the administration simply cannot force others to participate.

So if little Billy wants to bless his corndog at lunch before he eats it, IT IS LEGAL. But if he forces others to participate, than he is breaking a law. This is much clearer for adults in the administration than it is for elementary school children.

People should be allowed to pray in school, without exception. The government and school systems have no business whatsoever telling anyone when they can or cannot pray.

The problem is with expressing your religous veiws its forcing them on other students. Telling another student that they have to pray in school is completely wrong against the main reason why this country was founded. Puritans came here to practice their religion freely and yet now you tell others that they have to practice your faith in a public school, for a child of any race, sex, religion. Where there should be a freedom of thought and children be allowed to form their own opinions on the matter. Which they certainly will. No one cares if a kid prays in school or a kid decides to wear something religious... its making someone else do it or does not want to. I dont yell at you for not being a vegatarian its my choice and i will if i want but trying to make it so everyone is a vegetarian thats overstepping some boundries.

Keep in mind there is a difference between expressing and imposing. I think Kids should be able to express themselves if they wish, but keep in mind not everyone shares the same values. There's a difference between an unobtrusive silent prayer at one's desk or maybe a prayer circle before school with mutual believers and trying to impose beliefs on others. If it is an individual thing that is not openly offensive to other children then go ahead. What has to be kept in mind is that it is a public school. Not everyone will believe in God, and in that setting religion really doesn't have a place.It deifnitely can't be tolerated coming from any type of administrative position. Teachers should never impose their own religious beliefs on students. There are private schools in which religion can be incorporated. At the end of the day it is a private not public thing.

I believe people can pray as long as it doesn't interupt the learning process. Having a set prayer time isn't fair and would interupt school.
If you want to pray silently go right ahead, but not in the middle of class when you should be learning.

Your argument is moot.

Children ARE allowed to pray in school... That isn't the issue that the "school prayer" debate revolves around. Evangelical Christians are working to mandate a prayer time in public schools. That would be wrong because it infringes on the rights of those who don't hold religious beliefs or are non-practicing.

Bravo, BJRMBA1 !

*****"...I'm curious would you allow public prayers for of religions you don't belong to or would you then become the objector once the shoe is on the other foot."*****

How perceptive of the enigma. The concept of "the right to pray in school" is probably limited to her own religion's definition of prayer. I really doubt that if the prayer rugs came out five times a day and everybody was asked to face East, that she or her fundy friends and relatives would be nearly so approving.

Your question is one that if answered honestly would stop the fundamentalists dead in their dictatorial tracks.

Let me be free to pray when I want to pray and to whatever God I want to pray to.

I down voted this because being able to pray in schools is not a subject of controversy. It is forced prayer, where the teacher leads the class in a morning prayer like they used to do it that is.

Prayer should not be allowed in public schools because masturbation is not allowed in public schools. Listen, there are just some things that you do not do in a school setting and praying is one of them. There are too many sensitive people in the world and they may get offended if someone is openly expressing their religion, the same way someone could be offended by public masturbation.

Public prayer does not belong in public school. Do what want silently to yourself but do not force your belief on my child. Just because I'm curious would you allow public prayers for of religions you don't belong to or would you then become the objector once the shoe is on the other foot.

You always have the right to wear crosses, scarves on the head, or whatever other religious tag you wish to display. By not allowing a set prayer time in public school is not the government saying you can't do something--all they are saying is not here. They won't apy for the space of the teacher salary using public funding. Why is this such a problem for religious people and churches to grasp?