Graduating students defy ACLU ~Seniors stand and recite the Lord's Prayer  

Sounds to me it was a pretty unanimous decision to say the prayer. In my personal opinion religion (of any kind) doesn't belong in schools. This is from someone who went to a religious school and just barely remembers prayer in public school. Still, I'll defend anyone's right to pray when and where they want to no matter what their religion or beliefs are even if I disagree violently with them.

If non christian classmates had objected you can be sure the media would have put this to the country loud and clear. Not being allowed to express your religious beliefs publicly is not religious freedom. Public displays of religious belief are not meant to make anyone uncomfortable. Why pray tell should the reciting of the Lord's prayer offend people of another faith? Go read the Lord's Prayer and please tell me what it says that is objectionable.

I didn't say object - I said made uncomfortable. Graduation day is a day of celebration for EVERY graduate. Nowhere did the article mention it was the entire graduating class, and its highly unlikely that it was the entire graduating class. It just seems to be a complete lack of respect to do this at this particular ceremony.

I don't think religion and schools should mix with courses or the school pushing a specific religion. BUT I do think students should be able to express their religious views in appropriate scenarios on school grounds. This was simply the wrong time and the wrong place to do such a thing.

The impression I got from the article was that there was a large christian population in the school. Whether or not other religions were present is up for debate.
I came from an time where even the Jewish kids sang Christmas songs along with the rest of us in school. Like I said before I don't believe religion belongs in school. I don't see anything wrong with the prayer if all were in agreement to do it. I'd wager to say they discussed it before hand.
Someone mentioned what would have happened if some Muslim students said a prayer. Great, that's their right just as the Christian students have a right to say the Lord's Prayer and by god if the Atheist kids want to yell out "God is a myth" more power to them. The Wiccan kids can do what they do too. The bottom line is one is not better or more appropriate than the other. Each person has a right.

Actually, public grade schools do NOT have the right of freedom of speech. For obvious reasons (it's not a place for a person to promote their opinions, it is supposed to be for learning) students and teachers are not allowed to speak their mind. So no, the students don't really have the right while at a public school to say what they please.

Additionally, I visited the schools site and they have over 1800 students. If each grade was equal (which isn't likely) that would put about 450 graduates at this years ceremony. Under 400 said the prayer meaning that no, not all students participated.

Did the ones who didn't participate object to the prayer? That's the question. If they went along and didn't mind then there was no problem. Not everyone who disagrees with a position is offended by it.
I get the impression you believe in political correctness to the extreme. I'm not saying that sarcastically, just trying to understand where you stand.

Irish a lot of times the minority does not say anything because the group that is doing the action will retaliate. I don't see any interviews of the people who didn't participate in the prayer but then biased pro-christian media outlets won't report that side of the story. I feel bad for the ones who didn't pray or are not christian they had their day ruined because a group of selfish people think their religion is more important than anyone elses rights.

Then I'd say if there was retaliation then they weren't Christians in the first place. From my own experience there are a lot of pseudo-Christians. I jokingly refer to myself as "borderline agnostic" and as I said I'd defend the rights and beliefs of anyone. Mind you that is within the law.
I just wonder if you're creating a problem where none exists.

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grammasnook
Why is it with some of you people everything has to be turned around to be about Muslims.

Ok, well what if it was a majority agnostic/atheist areas students that stood up and stated that God does not exist? Would you still think they have the right to do that at a Graduation Day ceremony? Or is this exclusively something ONLY Christians are allowed to do?

First off thank you Lisa, I just picked muslim since kennyrose is so into the religion lately judging it so. You can bet your bottom dollar right now that if it was any other religion that had done this besides christian that the person that started this discussion would have hit the roof!

Kennyrose can you please explain what you meant when you made reference to "some of you people" You might want to rephrase that as reading some people. you make it sound as if their are two different types of humans

Good job, grammasnook, this is the appropriate thread in this conversation. All the "prayer must be allowed in schools" crowd are willing to pat these kids on the back, but would have rioted if the kids had a non-Christian chant/prayer. Boy, if I had been part of that class!

What kind of a whacked-out senior class was this? Which parents do you suppose gave them a little push? I wonder how many kids went along with it out of fear from their peers?

That's the big problem right there. Teaching kids early on that if they don't believe what the mainstream wants them to believe they can never be part of the group. Brainwashing 101.

Back when I was in school, thinking for yourself WAS an act of rebellion, largely because of religion.

Ever hear of the old saying: "stran at a nat, and swallow a camel?"

well, to me, that's what all of this nit picking is.

If the students wanted to say the Lord's prayer fine - if not - fine - any other faith there could have also stood and said a prayer - agnostics and or athiests could have made a short speech or whatever.

It's an "individual choice" and let them all have their say as long as it's not something vulgar or debasive towards any one person and orbelief.

Muslim and other beliefs just need to stand up for their rights too. That is their right, and priviledge.

But for folks to attack ONLY those in the christian belief - that speaks volumes!

And don't forget - among the genuine in any faith, there are the non-genuine, the evil, disrespectful, and the ignorant.

*Let the reader be aware

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Cool, as long as it goes both ways. :)

I think you'll find, ClassyCat, that noone was attacking Christianity, in fact, it is fear of just the opposite: Christianity attacking or limiting every other religion. Prayer in school would open the floodgates for the de-facto dominate religion, Christianity, to force itself upon America's youth.

And, Randync, worry not about "the Left's attack on God", but the Right's bullying in the name of God, that is the everpresent danger!

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