Church vs. State
Prayer in schools? What about taking a moment of silence at the beginning of everyday? Are you encouraging students to pray by doing that?
One side thinks that students should have the option. They should have that moment of silence at the beginning of the day to do whatever they want with it--whether it be pray, or simply to think of what they have to do that day. Choice is the key word in this situation.
The other side opposes this saying that by enforcing a moment of silence, you are putting pressure on kids who may not want to pray. They feel that students can take a moment of silence anytime that they would like to during the day, and there doesn't need to be a big deal made out of it.
Teaching about religion is another whole issue. The U.S. Supreme Court has said "it might well be said that one's education is not complete without a comparitive religion, or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization." It would be really hard for teachers to teach other subjects without considering religious influences.
Students may express their religious beliefs in the forms of reports, homework, and artwork. Teachers must not reject work because it has a religious symbol or it address different religious themes. It is a subject that needs to be dealt with carefully.
Some sources that might be useful to you are listed below:
- Praying at School--Includes links to sites with both pro and con positions
- Public School Prayer--A opinion piece from a pro/con site
- Church and State--Position paper produced by the American Civil Liberties Union
- FAQ--fifteen questions about prayer in schools
- Religious Liberty--Religion in Public Schools
- Secretary's Statement on Religious Expression--The U.S. Department of Education
- Freedom Forum First Amendment Center--Religious holidays in public schools
- "Hot Topics" within Religion--Controversial topics within religion