Prayer In Public Schools

Malala Yousafzai once said, “we cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” If we allow prayer in school and public places some religions will be promoted while others are not. Think about your religion, it may be a huge part of your life but it might not as well. If public events and schools made you recite prayers or talk about religious matters that may not be related to your religion, would you like it? In the United States, the supreme court says that schools shall not sponsor or promote religious practice in school. Students are allowed to pray alone or in groups that are non disruptive. There are many reasons that prayer in school and public places should not be allowed. Some of these reasons are that it does not follow the guidelines …show more content…
The meaning of Separation of church and state is that church matter stays out of the state’s matters, and as well the state does not get involved with the church. In 1995 a statement of current law was posted in places such as religious and civil liberty organizations regarding religion in public places. They were sent to every school in the country as guidelines of what you are allowed to and not allowed to do concerning prayer. As well as the statement of laws, in 1963 the Supreme Court also declared that sponsored Bible reading in school and reciting of the Lord’s prayer was unconstitutional. In fact it is unconstitutional for official prayer to be said or done at or during school events. Americans United for Separation of Church and State wrote that, “The schools can best do this by not sponsoring religious worship” (au.org). In other words schools can best keep religious tensions neutral by keeping an educational mindset at school and a religious one on their own time or at home. Therefore schools should keep prayer and worship out, because it goes against the Separation of church and …show more content…
In today’s schools, ninety percent of America’s kids and teens attend public schools, they all have varied religions or philosophical beliefs. In the United States there are many religions, a chart made by Steven E. Barkan showed that about fifty two percent are Protestant, twenty four percent are Catholic, sixteen percent are Atheist, six percent are other, and two percent are Jewish. Also America is very diverse, bringing numerous types of culture, heritage and religion. An article written by David G. Savage mentioned something Justice Elena Kagan said, “when citizens of this country approach their government, they do so only as Americans, not as members of one faith or another” (Kagan). Given this information, when taxpayers pay taxes to the government they are paying as an American to help educate children in America. Not to benefit children of a certain religion. Overall public schools should not promote religion, because it is paid and supported by taxpayers of all types of

Show More