Prayer in School Essay -- Religion Argumentative Argument Papers

Prayer in School As the bell rings you walk through the lunchroom doors. It seems just like any ordinary day. You smelled the mystery lunch as soon as you walked in, you fought your way into the lunch line, and you saw the principal escorting some troublemaking kids from their tables. But wait, those kids weren't the usual trouble makers. They were the kids that always follow the rules and even pray before lunch. Was this some kind of alternate universe? No, they were actually in trouble. No one ever paid it much attention but praying in school was against the rules. Why is it that our school system is so concerned with students that pray when there are students with problems that deserve much more attention? Students should not be punished for exercising the religious beliefs. Religion is a part of life, it always has been and it always will be. I believe that prayer should be allowed in school because it is a constitutional right, it encourages morals and values and students showing dev otion to their religious practices doesn't hurt anyone. The Downfall of a Nation There were times in this country where religion was mandatory in the public school curriculum. However, as early as the 1850?s the Superintendent of Schools in New York stated that prayers could no longer be required as part of public school curriculum. The Cincinnati Board of Education decided in 1869 that "religious instruction and the reading of religious books, including the Holy Bible, were prohibited in the common schools of Cincinnati.? By 1962/1963 the United States Supreme Court had prohibited bible reading and school organized prayers. In the past the Supreme Court had consistently ruled against religious practices in the public... ...nity Today. July (2003). 03 Oct. 2003 2. Annie Laurie Gaylor. ?The Case Against School Prayer?. 1995. Freedom From Religion Foundation. 03 Nov. 2003. 3. Unknown Author(s). School Prayer Case History. 2003. School-Prayer.net 03 Nov. 2003 . 4. Unknown Author(s). School Prayer. 26 Sept. 2003. Internet Infidels. 03 Nov. 2003 http://infidels.org/library/modern/church-state/prayer.html 5.Unknown Author(s). The Constitution. 10 Nov. 2003 http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html