Essay on Separation of Church and State in the Educational...

One of the most common questions asked about public prayer is whether or not it is legal to hold it in a public school. It depends on the type of prayer we are talking about, and who is doing the praying, since people are usually talking about organized classroom prayer, often led by a teacher. The Supreme Court has set a law that states that organized prayer in a public school goes against the First Amendment, whether its in the classroom, over the loud speaker, or even at a graduation ceremony. It also applies for Bible readings and when someone says now we will have a moment of silence, which courts will go against also. People feel it is not the governments business to promote religious exercises, since†¦show more content†¦Students have the right to hang out with their friends for prayer and other religious activities within the rules. .For example, students are permitted to gather around the flagpole for prayer before school begins, as many students do occasionally, as long as the event is not sponsored or endorsed by the school and other students are not pressured to attend. like outside adults, generally have no right to pray with or in the presence of students in a public school. (4) As representatives of the state, teachers are under an obligation to protect the rights of all students including non-believers. A teacher who abuses this position of trust may be terminated. Students may also meet for prayer and religious study pursuant to the federal Equal Access Act. If a school permits extracurricular student groups to meet during noninstructional time, this Act requires that religious groups be given equal treatment. Again, the Act does not allow teachers or other adults to lead such meetings.(5) The Act applies only to secondary schools as defined by state law. (See chapter 12 on equal access). The most confusing and controversial part of the current school prayer debate involves graduation prayer. In the 1992 decision Lee v. Weisman , the Supreme Court addressed this issue. The case involved prayers delivered by clergy at middle schoolShow MoreRelated Separation of Church and State Essay examples988 Words   |  4 PagesSeparation of Church and State America is constantly evolving and redefining itself. We have come to the point where we are less inclined to criticize individuals that are different from us and more inclined to embrace eachother’s eccentricities. 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