Religion in School (Vent) (Full Version)

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StrongWill -> Religion in School (Vent) (5/2/2008 12:44:08 PM)

Okay my bad if my religion offends your's but personally I believe I have thr right to pray in public, why should I be ashamed of my religion just because your's is different from mind. Can we not reach a compromise, is it so hard to just shut up and get along for godsakes for the first time in the United States of America??????? Big deal if one of our teachers play christian music and you don't like it, so listen to your own type of music, they don't mean it as an offensive comment or remark, it's just what they believe in. Should we not all be fair to one another????



csl7037 -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/2/2008 3:16:27 PM)

Are you new to this country? Welcome to public/government school in America. (Only one of the hundreds of reasons my kids don't go to public.)



artemis -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/2/2008 4:06:12 PM)

I understand that this is a "vent" post, but honestly, I'm not sure what you're saying.

You have every right to pray in a public place, including a public school. Teachers can listen to whatever music they want to in their free time or during their conference period. No one is asked to be ashamed of Christianity. Are you talking about a specific school district or a specific event? Nothing in your post sounds anything like my experience in public schools... 12 years as a student and 6 as a teacher. Could you clarify please?



kernsfamily -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/2/2008 4:13:41 PM)

Praying in public in school? Perfectly fine for students.....adults? hmmm....depends under what circumstances....

christian music played by a teacher? hmmm....different issue....would you be perfectly ok with the music of a totally different religion that you didn't agree with?
Most teachers are aware that there are many faiths/beliefs in school...and, are prudent enough to stay away from that....for good reason. Though, with no students present, then, it's not an issue.

Perhaps you may want to become familiar with "Guidance on Constitutionally Protected Prayer in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools".....the document which outlines the religious free-expression rights of students, while also outlining the "limitations" of instructors/administrators in "endorsing/mandating" or "condemning" any particular religious activity....

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html

It's a great "primer" to what is a system that works....(for those school administrators who actually take the time to read the thing!)...

In a religious/ethnic/culturally diverse WORLD we live in, and thus school the kids go to, it's works great...as the students are allowed "freedom of expression" (prayer, bible reading, etc...etc..), and yet, the school is restricted from any "bias" towards or against any individual's religion.....same thing basically occurs here at the office....and most other places in the 'real world'....



stampinlady -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/2/2008 9:55:37 PM)

And didn't Jesus rebuke the public prayer and say to go into your closet???? I'm so tired of hearing christians whine about this.[:'(]



ladyingrace1979 -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/3/2008 1:47:46 AM)

Actually I don't think it was praying in public that Jesus was rebuking. I believe it was the attitude of praying for show, to draw attention to yourself and show how "holy" you are.

As to the op. By law any student can pray in public, they can have Bible clubs, they can even have outside groups come in and lead Bible clubs. It just must be student initiated. It has to be asked for or wanted by the students themselves. A teacher can talk about their faith IF a student asks.

The whole idea is to allow the students freedom to practice their religion without having those in authority appear to be supporting one over the other. In a society with as many different religions as we have it is the safest way to run things. Especially when children are young and adore their teachers, imagine if a favorite teacher starts to talk up Budism or Islam, the student is likely to be very interested or swayed. They do teach the history of religions but they don't delve into the beliefs. My 7th grader is studying the protestant reformation right now.

So if you want your children in a purely Christian environment then put them into a Christian school. I myself don't want the public schools teaching religion or prayer.
Kim Q



StrongWill -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/3/2008 3:11:54 PM)

Okay yea it's a certian school, a certain district, Okay 1, I'm not showing my holyness cause 1 I'm not holy, Jesus and God are holy but me.............far from it, well duh you know I'm human. No I was not born into a religious envirement so I'm still learning, actually I was born into a more, anit-religous envirement then anything so my bad if my post offended you or if went again something the bible said, so just post where in the bible it might say something again praying in public to show holiness and I'll look it up asap and reply once more. There is no clubs at our school for any Christians to meet because we werent allowed to have one. But we did get to pray once in the morning in the begining of the year but many couldn't show up because of how far away the school is so by the time they got there it was over. So.......reply if you wnat.



artemis -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/3/2008 5:01:41 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: StrongWill

Okay yea it's a certian school, a certain district, Okay 1, I'm not showing my holyness cause 1 I'm not holy, Jesus and God are holy but me.............far from it, well duh you know I'm human. No I was not born into a religious envirement so I'm still learning, actually I was born into a more, anit-religous envirement then anything so my bad if my post offended you or if went again something the bible said, so just post where in the bible it might say something again praying in public to show holiness and I'll look it up asap and reply once more.


I don't think you said anything unbiblical, but people who work in or have their children in public schools are often berated by other Christains for their choice to use public schools. Some of us are a little defensive whenever we hear a "rant" about public schools [;)] Especially since most people here who have their kids in a public school do so because they think it is the best decision for their child and that the schools in their area are pretty good.

quote:

There is no clubs at our school for any Christians to meet because we werent allowed to have one.

The school where I teach does not have any Christian clubs, either, but they also don't have any clubs for the Buddist students or the Hindu students. If you allow one club, you legally should allow all of them and many public schools have chosen to ban all religious clubs to avoid having to make those decisions. Personally, I think that's probably best if it's going to be an issue (some areas don't have such a wide variety of religions and it might not matter to them).

quote:


But we did get to pray once in the morning in the begining of the year but many couldn't show up because of how far away the school is so by the time they got there it was over.

Are you talking about "See you at the Pole"? My principal said once that he gets more phone call complaints on "See you at the Pole" day than any other day of the year [8D] Apparently we have a large Jewish population that throws a fit every time the Christian kids get to pray before school, outside the building.

But any day of the year, you're allowed to pray whenever you want to. You just can't do it over the intercom and it can't be teacher led or anything. You are absolutely allowed to bow your head before a test or at lunch or anything of that nature. And there are two sides of that coin... yeah, the Christians can't recite the Lord's Prayer as part of the daily annoucements, but when my Muslim students have to pray, they go to the counseling center and do it during their lunch time. They, too, are not allowed to make everyone else pray with them.

Just my thoughts...



StrongWill -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/15/2008 7:59:43 AM)

Okay I can see where you are coming from, definetely, well I can't really help that I'm in a public school you know, Mom's choice not my own. And yes it is see you at the pole that I was talking about but we didn't get ANY complaints from anyone but hey no big deal I'll sit here and be quiet and bow my head privately but the minute someone brings up God and says something bad about him I'm going to throw a fit no matter if it offends them or not because they just offended me. An eye for eye is all I got to say. Oh yea and whenever my friends have questions about all of that I try to answer them the best I can and they just keep pushing it and in the end of it all the try to holler that I'm shoving stuff down their throat so I just shut up and said fine, you can make your own choice with the information you might need. And that is the end of that.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/15/2008 9:56:09 PM)

Strongwill, first I want to tell you that my kids are in public school because the "Christian" school they were in, was in my opinion not Christian. They seemed more worried about church attendance but not about what the kids got out of it. Basically, it came down to being in church so that you could add to the offering plate.

We are happy to be in a great public school, and while my daughters grade school didn't do Meet me at the pole, the middle and highschool did and there was not a word about it. I thought it was cool that they all got out there and showed that they were not going to hide their faith.

While I know that the school is not allowed to preach or ask the kids to pray together, it is not wrong to sit at your desk and bow your head in silent prayer. That is the BEST thing you can do if it is what you would normally do. You would be a quiet example for the people around you without being boastful. Just by doing what you normally do. Not a word about it. Just do it.

If anybody does have anything negative to say, rather than go off on them and offend them, invite them to join you. If they decline, then let them. Your job is to live your life as Christ would. Do we do that all of the time? No, we are human and we do sin. BUT you do have that option. And if words are said, ignore them or simply tell them that you would appreciate it if they would not make those comments to you. And let that be that. If people make nasty comments, they are trying to make you angry. They want you to break. Then they can get to look at you and throw your Christianity right back in your face.

Just be an example and invite others to join. If they don't know Christ, introduce them. You never know who is going to say yes. But don't go out offending people in the name of Christ. That is not what he wants. Show love and you will get much further.

Now, if a teacher tells you that you are not allowed to bow your head in silent prayer, then that is a whole different story. They are not allowed to do that. Then you have a reason to tell them that you have a right to do that and if that doesn't do it, then you can take it higher up. But don't go looking for a fight. Look for peace. That is just my opinion.

Tracy



iluvatar -> RE: Religion in School (Vent) (5/16/2008 5:56:48 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: StrongWill
but the minute someone brings up God and says something bad about him I'm going to throw a fit no matter if it offends them or not because they just offended me. An eye for eye is all I got to say.


Is that really the best response? Reacting like that feeds into all the negative hypocritical stereotypes and attitudes you're complaining about.

-Dan.



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