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Blog: Prayer In School And The ACLU

The ACLU filed suit Wednesday in federal court over prayer in Santa Rosa County Schools. The group has requested records concerning graduation and baccalaureate services at schools in Escambia County. You can read that story here.

The debate on prayer in school has raged on for years, and I suppose it will continue for some time to come. The courts have upheld a moment of silence in our public schools; the Escambia School District calls it a “moment of quiet reflection” in the Student’s Rights And Responsibilities Handbook (you did read that cover to cover when your child brought it home last week, right?).

I won’t get started on prayer in school per se. I’ll save that for another blog. But I will point out a few things in the ACLU lawsuit…

The ACLU complains that baccalaureate services were religious. Duh. That’s what a baccalaureate service is. The tradition started at Oxford University in 1432, according to the Wikipedia. Legally, the whole separation of church and state thing prevents the school from becoming overly involved in the service. At our Northview High School, the graduating seniors vote for the pastor or speaker they wish to have at their service.

If a student or parent  does not like a pastor or a Christian message at a baccalaureate service, they have every right not to attend.

If a student or parent does not like a prayer at a graduation service, they have every right not to attend. The diploma is just as good picked up in the school office the following day as it is picked up at a graduation service.

If a student or parent does not like a school holding school events at a church building, they have every right not to attend.

The ACLU says it pushes for rights for the citizens of this country. They should understand that students have the right not to take part in events like baccalaureate and perhaps exercise their right to sit out those events..

If my child, or your child, or your grandchild wants to pray at school the ACLU wants them to be told no. Your child has fewer rights than Muslim prisoners of war.

Let’s jump to Camp Delta, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. There are arrows painted across floors, pointing to the Muslim holy city of Mecca. There’s a call to prayer that sounds in this federal detention facility, so that prisoners can pray to Allah.

Those prisoners have more religious rights than our children.

Our children get a “moment of quiet reflection” each morning at our North Escambia Schools. The ACLU does not want them to offer a prayer at school, at school events or at graduation as they begin a new phase of their lives.

Terrorists. Threats to our national security. Murderers. The worst of the worst in federal custody at a detention camp gets organized prayer time, and they get the direction to face painted on the floor of their prison cell.

(See the arrows for yourself by clicking here. Notice when you get there that you are on the US Department of Defense Official website.)

If we can have arrows pointing toward Mecca in a federal prison, why can’t a teacher at our local elementary school hang a cross on her wall?

The American Civil Liberties Union. That’s why.

I leave you with this little story that was emailed to me last week:

After being interviewed by the school administration, the teaching
prospect said, “Let me see if I’ve got this right: You want me to go
into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior,
observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor
their T-shirt messages, and instill in them a love for learning. You
want me to check their backpacks for weapons, wage war on drugs and
sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self esteem
and personal pride.

You want me to teach them patriotism and good citizenship,
sportsmanship and fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a
checkbook, and apply for a job. You want me to check their heads for
lice, recognize signs of antisocial be behavior, and make sure that
they all pass the state exams.

You want me to provide them with an equal education regardless of
their handicaps, and communicate regularly with their parents by
letter, telephone, newsletter, and report card.

You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a
bulletin board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting salary that
qualifies me for food stamps.

You want me to do all this, and then you tell me……………..I CAN’T PRAY?