Is school prayer the answer?

Educational Forum, The, Winter 2002 by Romanowski, Michael H

Long after the students have returned to the hallways of Columbine High School, the nation continues to look for answers to the problems of violence and killing in our public schools. Shootings in towns like West Paducah, Jonesboro, Edinboro, Springfield, and Littleton have forced the nation to search for someone or something to blame for the vicious killings and the pure disregard for human life. At one time or another, weak gun control laws, the breakdown of the family, the entertainment industry, and school gangs and cliques have all served as scapegoats for the violence in today's young adults.

But as we wait and watch for the next shooting, we engage in a time of soul searching and wrestling with this incomprehensible violence. Many have concluded that the solution is legislation calling for stricter gun control laws and stiffer penalties for the offenders, while others call for metal detectors, meshed book bags, armed police, and other security measures in an attempt to make schools and students safer. Because parents are often targeted for blame when students have problems, some have suggested that parents be held accountable for their children's behavior or that social agencies provide help for families and parents with troubled teens. Conservative Christian groups, among others, have called for a school prayer amendment, sparking as much controversy as the violence itself. The idea of school prayer as a means to curb violence forces us to ask tough questions. What role should school prayer play in the nation's attempt to prevent or correct the violent temperaments that seem to be increasing in our young people? How should a diverse and democratic society deal with issues of religion in public schools?

WHY THE CONCERN?

As Fraser (1999,3) noted, "God's place within the public schools of the United States has been debated, and subject to controversy, for as long as there have been public schools." Citizens have always disagreed about the proper relationship between religion and public education. From displaying the Ten Commandments to determining how students should study about religion, the debate about what is appropriate and acceptable in public education remains as heated as ever. In particular, school prayer sparks a great deal of controversy.

Since the mid-1980s, there have been persistent attempts to reintroduce prayer as a normal part of the school day, rooted in significant public and political support. National polls regularly indicate that as much as 80 percent of the nation consistently favors returning prayer to school (Barton 1997; Rose and Gallup 1998; Loconte 1995; Kathan 1989; Walsh 2001).

Beyond a public embracing of school prayer, a time of action may be approaching. Indeed, the idea seems to be gaining popularity in the halls of Congress. Since the Republican Party added school prayer to its social agenda in 1980, many candidates pursuing political office have used this issue for their own political gain. As Kathan (1989, 236) observed, "We live in a day of single-issue candidates and pressure groups, and school prayer persists as an attractive platform because there is so much mileage to be gained from it." Several members of Congress have attempted to add an amendment to the Constitution that would permit school prayer. Furthermore, the current administration and Republican Party support some type of school prayer.

Several powerful conservative Christian groups also exert considerable pressure and influence on the members of Congress. For example, the Christian Coalition has spent $550,000 lobbying for an amendment that would allow school prayer (Fraser 1999). These groups also persuade the public through television, various publications, and their direct involvement in the political process through their support of conservative candidates.

With such active support and a wide range of societal ills, school prayer is in a very favorable climate. This issue will not go away (Kathan 1989). Though statesponsored prayer is currently unacceptable, it is important to continue to examine the arguments for and against school prayer critically and to consider the many consequences and implications.

SCHOOL PRAYER V. PRAYER IN SCHOOLS

The issue of school prayer leaves citizens deeply divided, confused, and often angry. Much of the tension that arises when addressing any form of school prayer is often based on misunderstandings of church and state issues and confusion regarding the distinction between school prayer and prayer in schools.

For our purposes, school prayer is the recitation of prayer by staff members and/ or students as a regular part of the school's daily routine. Though there have been various school prayer proposals, ranging from a moment of silence to a time set aside for formal student-led voluntary prayer, the important aspect is that some type of prayer will become a regular part of the formal exercises of the school day.

Any type of school prayer would involve school officials in the approval and development process of a daily schoolwide prayer and their decision regarding how, when, and where students should pray. For example, the school might designate several minutes at the beginning of the school day for prayer. The administration could possibly have a student read a prayer aloud over the intercom system, and students could voluntarily participate. The remainder of the time might be spent in silence.