South Carolina Public Schools Fight for Right to Return Prayer to The Classroom

No it's not impossible. We've done it many times. Students are different from the adults, students are open to new things and are not easily offended. With proper guidance from the teachers and educators it could work. Lack of spirituality is what's wrong with the young people of today. Adults are their only venue of learning and most adults they meet or talk to (outside of the school) are too defensive of their own religions and would ridicule those unlike theirs, that's why these uneducated virtues are transferred from adult to the young generation. But, if religion is actually given the chance to flourish (with proper guidance of teachers) students would then be given proper understanding and information, thus making them fully get the meaning instead of 'assumptions' from their adult friends. What we actually did when I was still at school was to let students lead the prayer during class. A short prayer of around 1minute. Each day, they choose a student with different religion, so there would be days when the Christians would lead the prayer, another days when the Muslim students would do it, and etc. It didn't actually create friction, because everyone respected the prayer leader. But I'm guessing it would be difficult to instill prayer with the older kids now because they didn't have the chance to learn about it when they were still younger. It's like feeding your kids junk food, you can't just convert them to healthy food in one night when they weren't given the chance to appreciate healthy food when they were still younger, right? Religion shouldn't have taken out of the school system in the first place.

Most excellent observation.

It should not matter what religion you are, prayer is a common sense thing that sets everyone free, just ask a man who has committed a vile act against another human being - and surely you will see that it is all the same one entity.

What was that supposed to mean?

Thank you for your comment, indeed - in this world we live in prayer is one of the most important forms of spirituality we possess.

I think what Chiang is saying that if we do not let our children pray in American schools then how can we pray in church. It does seem hypocritical to have these awful restrictions placed on the public school system. This has placed a strain on the morale and ethics of how adolescent and teen behavior is valued in relation to God's law.

No they haven't. I don't know about schools outside this state, but Texas schools still allow their students to hold prayer meetings, pray (silently) in class, and to have a moment of silence. In fact, when I graduated 3 years ago, we were REQUIRED to observe a moment of silence. Prayer has not been outlawed at all. Actually, it is mandated by our government that students be allowed to pray in schools. They just can't have teacher led prayer.

No this is not true, during the Atheist forming an organization to ban prayer from American schools, students cannot pray to God or Jesus, nor can teachers hold a moment of silence. All of these wonderful traditions have been outlawed by a group of people that do not hold God or Jesus in their heart.

I believe strongly that a child most earliest influence is how their morale values are designed, this may be one of the reasons we have so many problems today in our present society. It seems as though no one wants to be responsible for what is happening with families and the structure of our school system. There was a time when it was not an option if a child choose to pray - it was more-so a privilege that was not taken for granted.

you make a very good point friend. I do wish that more parents would instill prayer into thier childs lives.

The first amendment states CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.

Absolutely. What we actually did when I was still at school was ask students to lead the prayer. So, the prayer leaded didn't have to be Christian all the time, there were days when our Muslim students would lead, and other days when those practicing Judaism and other religion did the leading of the prayer. It actually unites students in a class better since we understood that we were diverse but not divided. Not practicing prayer only divides students because they're not even given the chance to present his/her religion, that's why there's confusion and ridicule. It's actually a good thing that schools be the venue where they could experience this since it's the best place for us to learn and be educated of what our questions would be and understand other people's diversities. The lack of understanding and exposure to the different types of religion creates the friction to people when they grow older, because they themselves have not understood other religions apart from theirs.

I disagree with crimsonladybug comment for one reason, God is all religions, the creator of everything that we know and breath. As far as the First Amendment is concerned; the addendum that was added into this proclamation was written to protect the rights of people that have been subjected to prejudice and miss-justice. It is quite sad to see that some people have little faith in God - everything that we are about as human beings is for a reason, and man will make their own laws completely disregaurding God's law and order. Without prayer and purpose - we are like dust in the wind that lives without purpose or direction.