Lots of parents talking on the playground this week about the new Illinois law that mandates a moment of silence in school. Some folks seems deeply troubled, others not so much. The arguments seem to follow two courses of logic. Course #1: It is only a moment of silence, no big deal, as the law is worded in such a way that schools can't explicity tell students what they should be doing/thinking during this moment of silence. Course #2: a mandated "moment of silence" is a step down a slippery slope that threatens the separation of church and state in schools. Some parents, mostly all church-going by the way, felt that the sponsorship of the law might have been a veiled attempt by social conservatives to get a religious foot into the door of schools. Certainly, in my children's school, the principal made it very clear that the moment of silence could be used for "prayer".
So, should we be alarmed at this development? Ignore it and hope that it goes away? Should we shrug our shoulders and not worry? Should we be happy that the kids are being given a moment of personal reflection/religious time before their cramped school day?
We talked about this in an earlier thread last week. I am disproportionately alarmed, and still trying to figure out exactly why.
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Michael Fuerst
I think it is one of those compromise proposals, designed to appease those upset that there is no prayer in school. I don't see much chance of it ever going farther - teacher-led prayer in public school will never come back.
Me, I think it is another example of the state stepping in where not needed - let the local schools set policies on moments of silence.
One other concern that parents had is that teachers may indeed use the moment of silence to pray themselves. At this point, there is a role model in front of kids praying. Hmmm...
Also,
It seems that 18 other states have passed similar "silence" laws. Of course, these laws have been challenged but the Supreme Court has declined to rule on these laws. In some states, the law has not been viewed as a challenge to the US Constitution as long as teachers are not mandating what kids should do with their "silence".
One other concern that parents had is that teachers may indeed use the moment of silence to pray themselves. At this point, there is a role model in front of kids praying. Hmmm...
In the US, it will be hard to avoid exposing your kids to people who have religion of some sort.
If the teacher doesn't pray is she leading the class in atheism? Seems a strange concern with what teachers may be doing on their own. As long as the teacher is not leading the class in prayer or demanding they cannot pray on their own time, I don't think students seeing them pray or not pray is really an issue.
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Glock21 Op/Ed
I think that would depend on how impressionable the kid is...and how much he/she looks up to the teacher. Of course, you can't isolate yourself from religion in the United States: it is everywhere, indeed. However, I do know that my kids, outside of church, are not exposed to authority figures promoting prayer, so although religion is "everywhere", it is a much more passive thing. If you wanted your kids to be consistently exposed to authority figures promoting prayer, then in the past, you would choose to attend church or send your kids to a private, religious school.
In the end, I can't help but feel that religion is a deeply personal thing, and government would do best to maintain neutrality.
I appreciate the clarification this was about religion. I took it as a special time when our youth could reflected on all the needed communication and efficiency improvements they would make when they run the government of the State of Illinois.
This law is a joke. It cheapens our religious heritage. Separation of church and state was the best thing that ever happened to religion in this country. We have more religions and a much higher rate of participation in religion than countries that mix church and state. In European countries you have to designate on our tax forms whether you want to be identified with a particular religious group, and only those that are state approved are listed, and a percentage of your income is automatically deducted and given to the relgious group of choice. Hence, most people claim no religious affliation and almost never attend any religious services.
We should all fight to maintain the independce of religion from government and that includes pushing it into our schools. What is next a moment of chanting "Ohmmmm" or deep breathing and contemplation of our ancestors? Maybe we should all say a prayer to the Flying Spaghetti Monster. http://www.venganza.org/
New Pledge of Allegiance!
Since the Pledge of Allegiance
And
The Lord's Prayer
Are not allowed in most
Public schools anymore
Because the word "God" is mentioned....
A kid in Arizona wrote the attached
NEW School prayer.
I liked it.
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
!
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen
If you aren't ashamed to do this,
Please pass this on.
Jesus said,
"If you are ashamed of me,
I will be ashamed of you before my Father."
They've outlawed guns in school!@#$! how are we going to shoot each other?
"Please pass this on. Jesus said,.."
Divinely inspired chain letters... how cute. If you want your kid to believe in a god or gods, want your kid to read scripture during his or her breaks and free time at school, and want your kid to pray whenever there is an opportunity... raise your kid to do so. That's not the State's job. And the State does not prohibit the kid from doing so.
There's a huge difference between schools not promoting religion or religious views (reality) and schools banning religion or religious views (hysteria).
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Glock21 Op/Ed
Mahometman - you're perfectly free to pray on your own time in school whenever you want, as long as you're quiet about it. Such has it always been, and I don't see it changing. Better yet, they can wake up early and attend services before school, if it's that important. Plenty of people do that.