Prayer in School

Prayer in School

Freedom of religion and separation of church and state make prayer in school a difficult subject. Such as ones rights being violated, deciding what is constitutional and what is not, the wall of separation etc. Making sure everyone has the right to free religion and still not crossing the line of church and state is very important. Conflicts between government and religion have sparked in debate, such as school prayer, since the beginning of American history, and they still continue to do so.

The first words to the First Amendment are strongly expressed and brief. It states that Congress will make no laws respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. One of the religion clauses is the establishment clause. This clause states that Congress will make no law respecting an establishment of religion. It has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to forbid government support of any or all religions. The establishment clause goes far beyond forbidding the establishment of religion. It is designed to prevent three evils: government sponsorships of religion, government financial support of religion, and the active involvement of the government in religious matters. The establishment clause forbids states-including state universities, colleges, and school districts-to introduce devotional exercises into the public school curriculum, including school graduations. However, the Supreme Court has not, as some people assume, prohibited prayer in public schools. It is not unconstitutional for students to pray in a school building. What is unconstitutional is sponsorship or encouragement of prayer by public school authorities.

The Constitution prohibits several things. The following are a couple examples that are prohibited from public schools: requiring students to recite prayers in class. The main concerns of the courts appear two-sided. One being the nature of prayer. Although most state laws which attempt to allow prayer in school usually let the students who do not wish to participate be allowed to into the hall, the courts still see an element of compulsion. By separating themselves from other students, the student later risks being teased and harassed by fellow peers. The second is the risk of religious teachings. The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution