Final Draft Essay Topic 7
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Prayer in Public Schools
Kacey Core
EDU-330 Grand Canyon University
Instructor Larena Barnett
June 25, 2023
Prayer In Public Education
Prayer in school is a controversial subject that puts many stakeholders to children's education on contradictory pages that can affect our children's education. In this instance, the line
between social justice and religious freedoms is not black and white. In a country founded on religious freedom, you would think religion and prayer in school is a no-brainer. In the United States, we have many different cultures and religious beliefs. Our world is quite different than that of the day of our founding fathers, as there are many contradicting religions and ideas throughout our country; this creates many different mindsets and implicit biases within people. As for any controversial topic, each side has pros and cons, and all come down to the implicit bias, ethical, and moral code of individuals, groups, and cultures involved. The first amendment protects the rights of students to freedom of religion and expression (
Religion in Schools | OSPI
. (n.d.). When working with students and other adults with different beliefs and biases, the atmosphere can suffer if everyone does not feel the same. As a Christian, I see my job as using my spiritual gift and my purpose in life. I enjoy starting my day with silence to pray and ask God
to bless my students and our day. However, knowing the district's dynamics is important to keep the boundary between endorsing and silencing religion for themselves and their students is an important part of being an educator.
Supreme Court Cases
Due to the focus on everything being secular, it is hard to stand in your own beliefs without potentially stepping on another, especially where education is concerned. There have been times throughout history when the Supreme Court has had to step in and protect the freedoms of individuals and entities rights under the First Amendment. In 1947 Everson v. Board
of Education was the first case to change the system by incorporating the Establishment Clause
theory and introducing the metaphoric wall between church and state. This case is the only recorded case in the supreme court that mentions the doctoral reasons and importance behind prayer in school (Marshall, 2018). In 1962, Engel v. Vitale could be considered the beginning of the demise of religion in education. School-sponsored prayer was ruled unconstitutional under the first amendment rights of the Constitution (Lain, 2015). The intention of our founding fathers was never a complete separation of church and state; their actual thought was that religious beliefs would only strengthen and establish a republican government, being that the majority of the colonist were religious. Giving individuals and states the freedom to decide for themselves is the proverbial wall between religion and government as long as they do not infringe on individuals' God-given rights. Enverson v. The Board of Education was the first to use the Establishment Clause to justify the religious rights of students publically transported to religious institutions. In 1962 Engel v. Vitale was one of the most notable cases on this controversial topic because some considered voluntary prayer in schools and academic institutions unconstitutional (Lain, 2015). Engel is not the counter-majoritarian case that it initially appears to be; the Engel case is a vibrant account of Supreme Court decision-making. that advances several conversations
in constitutional law. Engel adds a fresh perspective and maintains to provide insightful analysis of Supreme Court decisions to the growing body of academic research on the capacity of culture generally and social movements specifically to bring about constitutional change (Lain, 2015). Prayer in School Today
Today's emphasis on equality and secularism throughout our school system it is hard to cater to every religion and cultural belief without infringing on another. However, the need for
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Supreme Court involvement for the right of prayer in school has declined in recent years as most districts have policies specific to the needs of the surrounding communities and geographic location. The most recent demand for court interference was the case of Joseph A. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. Football coach J. Kennedy's employment with the school system ended when he refused to pray privately after football games, and students, parents, and spectators voluntarily joined his after-game tradition. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the district court's decision in favor of the school board in 2016. However, In a 6-3 decision on June 27, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the Ninth Circuit, writing for the court in his opinion that the defendant's rights under the First Amendment's Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses violated by the school's actions (Sawyer, 2023). Prayer in a public setting and at events in the southern states is more accepted and almost expected. Christian clubs such as Fellowship of Christian Students or Fellowship of Christian Athletes are student lead and teacher-volunteer-sponsored clubs in schools in America. The surrounding community is built on values and community, holding many large Christian organizations affiliated with our teachers and students. So prayer at events is as important as acknowledging our country's flag or school motto. While it is important for Christians to pray and share their beliefs, we will always encounter families that do not believe in God the same way we do. These non-religious students may feel left out during times of prayer. Or feel pressured into praying to someone they do not understand or believe. With the rising number of non-religious people, we must notice the mundane encounters with religion and how they affect non-religious students (Shillitoe & Strahan, 2020).
The supreme court ruling makes prayer illegal in public schools unless it is student-led. In Louisiana, student-led prayer from their religious beliefs is acceptable and encouraged in public schools. An adult can be present to supervise student gatherings but cannot lead a religious event. Staff may attend and participate in religious clubs if they do not interfere with contracted work hours (Louisiana State Legislature, n.d.). Livingston Parish School district schools have a Fellowship of Christian Students club. Members of these clubs often lead prayer for school-sponsored events. A Moment of Silence
Prayer in school is a controversial subject that puts many stakeholders in children's education on contradictory pages that can affect our children's education in many ways. Continuing the separation of church and state remains the most effective way to avoid conflict. There are so many opposing ideologies and religions spread across the nation, and people have a variety of mindsets and implicit biases that we, as educators, try to advocate for the best of our students. Like any contentious issue, both sides of the prayer issue have advantages and disadvantages, and they all depend on the implicit prejudice, ethical standards, and cultural norms of the parties involved. Forcing children to pray to a God they do not believe in violates their rights. Giving children the opportunity and encouragement to have a moment of silence or reflection can help create a safe environment for students to be themselves. America is home to people of a diverse group of people with an even more diverse range of beliefs. While it is not always possible to honor every belief system, we as educators can find
educational opportunities to help prepare our students to be culturally competent by encouraging a moment of silence throughout our day.
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References:
Lain, C. B. (2015). God, Civic Virtue, and the American Way: Reconstructing Engel. Stanford Law Review, 67(3), 479–555.
Louisiana Laws - Louisiana State Legislature. (n.d.). http://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?
d=859964
Marshall, W. P. (2018). The Constitutionality of School Prayer: Or Why Engel V. Vitale May Have Had It Right All Along. Capital University Law Review, 46(3), 339–371.
Religion in Schools
| OSPI
. (n.d.). https://www.k12.wa.us/policy-funding/equity-and-civil-
rights/information-families-civil-rights-washington-schools/religion-
schools#:~:text=Religious%20Expression%20at%20School,homework%2C%20and
%20in%20school%20assignments
Shillitoe, R., & Strhan, A. (2020). "Just leave it blank" non-religious children and their negotiation of prayer in school. Religion, 50(4), 615–635. https://doi-
org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/0048721x.2020.1758230