School prayer

Group, Sep/Oct 2003

Each issue, CyberTalk prints what kids are talking about on the Internet and offers discussion questions for small groups.

what you can do in schools

Two recent court verdicts may have a profound impact on your ability to reach out to teenagers on public-school campuses.

Case #1-Barbara Wigg, a teacher in South Dakota, won her lawsuit against school district officials who prohibited her from participating in a Christian after-school club that meets on campus. The district's lawyer said Wigg couldn't lead her school's "Good News Club" because it would give students the idea that the school is embracing the Christian faith. That argument was deemed an infringement on Wigg's constitutional right to free speech.

Case #2-An appellate court in Arizona has ruled that a local school district must distribute literature promoting after-school programs that have an underlying religious purpose if it does the same thing for other programs. However, the three-judge panel said schools can refuse to distribute promotional materials for religious programs that contain "proselytizing language." Arizona's lawyers say they may appeal to the Supreme Court.

Related News: In Gallup polls conducted every year since 1970, respondents listed what they perceived as public schools' "major problems." In 1970, it was "lack of discipline" (18%), "lack of financial support" (17%), "integration/segregation/racial discrimination" (17%), "getting good teachers" (12%), and "use of drugs" (11%). Today, the list's top problem is "lack of financial support" (23%), and includes new problems such as "large schools/overcrowding" (13%) and "fighting/violence/gangs (9%).

2Punk06-I'm pretty religious and have been praying since I could talk, but I don't understand why some people insist that there should be time taken out of the day to pray. Why can't students just pray in their heads whenever they feel like it? God can hear your thoughts too, right?

BriannaCA-Why is having God in schools so wrong? Religious freedom means you won't be prosecuted for believing in something or forced to believe in something, but it doesn't mean you won't ever be exposed to other religions.

DeadRinger-If someone doesn't want to pray, you have no place telling them that they're wrong-it's their choice not yours.

JRD1630-I think God should be allowed in school-but whoever doesn't want to pray can leave the room.

MotorXXMan1-I can leave the room because I don't pray? It's called separation of church and state. How would you like it if suddenly almost everyone sat there audibly worshiping the devil? (I'm not saying God is the same thing as the devil, just saying they'd be worshiping something you don't believe in.)

FastRnnr121-No one wants God abolished. We just don't want school-led prayer. Pray privately. . . but the state can't introduce prayer into a public forum, especially one like a school. Not everyone is Christian, or even monotheistic, and the Constitution protects their right not to be alienated at the hands of the government.

AustinGrl-I think God should be everywhere! I don't care what my school says, I pray there and read my Bible! I'm a Christian and I'm not ashamed of it!

Madmax14-The predominant religion in America is Christianity-shouldn't people in school be allowed at least to mention it?. . . Like once a month have a prayer service, and those who don't like it really don't have to listen.

FastRnnr121-That's not the point. By allowing the schools to have prayer sessions, you alienate non-Christian students because (speaking from experience) Christianity as a whole doesn't accept or respect the beliefs of others. . . Besides, the Constitution isn't designed to protect the majority, it's supposed to protect the minority from being imposed on by the majority.

Small-Group Discussion Questions: What's your opinion about prayer in schools? Would you value having a time of common prayer? a designated time for silent prayer? Why or why not? Read aloud Matthew 18:19-20. What do you think is the difference in God's eyes between private prayer and prayer with others? If there were times of prayer in your school, how do you think non-Christians should be respected?