New School Prayer - Page 2

innerSpaceman · 02-08-2008, 12:33 PM

Oh really? Of course, I haven't been in school for a long, long time. But I was under the impression prayer was pretty much not allowed.

I guess I shouldn't put it that way. I'm sure some kid could walk down the halls praying. But rather that there could not be any kind of formal or "led" prayer in any classroom.

Not that I have a problem with that. I think it's out of place, and apples to oranges to compare it with purple hair. I'm sure hair-dying sessions are also neither allowed nor discussed as part of the ciriculum or class activities.

But I'm sure the feeling exists among Christian kids that prayer is very looked down upon in a scholastic environment, and that it's a bit of p.c. that's gone overboard.

Of course, I more bemoan the fact that - gangs the cause or not - kids are often not free to dress as they want, and certainly are not free to express political or other opinions in the scholastic environment.

Alex · 02-08-2008, 12:40 PM

I don't know what it was like at other high schools but at my public high school there were several religious student groups that held group prayers around the campus throughout the day during non-class times. And many students that audibly prayed in classes during periods where general talking was allowed and silently to themselves when they weren't.

Nobody ever raised any objection to that. Just to the time a substitute English teacher tried to lead a class in a prayer.

Though I'm sure there have been plenty of examples of school administrators cracking down too hard out of fear of litigation just as there are many examples of school administrators being way too lenient out of personally held religious beliefs.

Ghoulish Delight · 02-08-2008, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I guess I shouldn't put it that way. I'm sure some kid could walk down the halls praying. But rather that there could not be any kind of formal or "led" prayer in any classroom.

That's correct, and is what my response said. Prayer is not banned from schools. The school teaching/leading/forcing prayer is. As it should be.

Kevy Baby · 02-08-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

Snopes on the New Prayer
Undetermined whether it's bunk or not, but it's been around since 1999.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Not that it has any impact no the quality of the poem but here's the Snopes page on the history of this poem (record of it goes back to 1985).

Will you guys get your stories straight damnit! Was 1985 or 1999 - I need to know these things.

Alex · 02-08-2008, 01:13 PM

Read the page, it explains. 1999 is the earliest real solid find, there are earlier references as far back as '85 but they're not so solid.

blueerica · 02-08-2008, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

I don't know what it was like at other high schools but at my public high school there were several religious student groups that held group prayers around the campus throughout the day during non-class times. And many students that audibly prayed in classes during periods where general talking was allowed and silently to themselves when they weren't.

Ditto my experience. Then again, I grew up in Michigan...

innerSpaceman · 02-08-2008, 01:48 PM

Do Christian kids honesty feel they're being stifled by school policy, I wonder.

Then there was that horribly decided (imo) lawsuit a while back of the kid who displayed an Anti-Bush sign off of school property (but at a school-related event) and was ruled to not have free-speech rights under those circumstances.

Or the fact that kids CAN'T have purple hair or wear the Queen's purple clothes because any freaking color can be associated with some violent gang or another. Would you sit still for wearing a gray burlap sack to school everyday??? I would have been in the principal's office sticking up for my principles every day of the school year.

I think these limitations on freedoms at school have gone too far, and so I wonder about how Christian kids feel about the prayer issue.

Ghoulish Delight · 02-08-2008, 01:57 PM

Why would improper limiting of personal prayer be a problem only for Christian kids?

innerSpaceman · 02-08-2008, 01:59 PM

I don't think it is. But they seem to be the ones making a stink about it.

Ghoulish Delight · 02-08-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

I don't think it is. But they seem to be the ones making a stink about it.

Yes, because they seem to be the ones that want more than the freedom to use their own time for their personal prayer and feel it's somehow an infringement on their rights to not require everyone pray.

02-08-2008, 12:33 PM	#11
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Oh really? Of course, I haven't been in school for a long, long time. But I was under the impression prayer was pretty much not allowed. I guess I shouldn't put it that way. I'm sure some kid could walk down the halls praying. But rather that there could not be any kind of formal or "led" prayer in any classroom. Not that I have a problem with that. I think it's out of place, and apples to oranges to compare it with purple hair. I'm sure hair-dying sessions are also neither allowed nor discussed as part of the ciriculum or class activities. But I'm sure the feeling exists among Christian kids that prayer is very looked down upon in a scholastic environment, and that it's a bit of p.c. that's gone overboard. Of course, I more bemoan the fact that - gangs the cause or not - kids are often not free to dress as they want, and certainly are not free to express political or other opinions in the scholastic environment.
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02-08-2008, 12:40 PM	#12
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I don't know what it was like at other high schools but at my public high school there were several religious student groups that held group prayers around the campus throughout the day during non-class times. And many students that audibly prayed in classes during periods where general talking was allowed and silently to themselves when they weren't. Nobody ever raised any objection to that. Just to the time a substitute English teacher tried to lead a class in a prayer. Though I'm sure there have been plenty of examples of school administrators cracking down too hard out of fear of litigation just as there are many examples of school administrators being way too lenient out of personally held religious beliefs.
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02-08-2008, 01:13 PM	#15
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Read the page, it explains. 1999 is the earliest real solid find, there are earlier references as far back as '85 but they're not so solid.
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02-08-2008, 01:48 PM	#17
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Do Christian kids honesty feel they're being stifled by school policy, I wonder. Then there was that horribly decided (imo) lawsuit a while back of the kid who displayed an Anti-Bush sign off of school property (but at a school-related event) and was ruled to not have free-speech rights under those circumstances. Or the fact that kids CAN'T have purple hair or wear the Queen's purple clothes because any freaking color can be associated with some violent gang or another. Would you sit still for wearing a gray burlap sack to school everyday??? I would have been in the principal's office sticking up for my principles every day of the school year. I think these limitations on freedoms at school have gone too far, and so I wonder about how Christian kids feel about the prayer issue.
	Submit to Quotes

02-08-2008, 01:57 PM	#18
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Why would improper limiting of personal prayer be a problem only for Christian kids? __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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02-08-2008, 01:59 PM	#19
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	I don't think it is. But they seem to be the ones making a stink about it.
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