School Prayer and Moral, Social Values

“A Schooling in Both Religion and Doubt” (July 3) makes my heart go out to Kathleen Hendrix. She asks, what is the aim of those who would have children pray in public schools now? The answer is simple and obvious. To re-establish the moral foundation of our social values so that our children can learn right from wrong. The “moment” of prayer that she calls a “simplistic remedy” will be a powerful symbol of the reaffirmation of the First Amendment as it was historically interpreted before the Supreme Court’s activism prohibited the free exercise of religion in our public schools!

The vacuum created in our schools is now being filled with hedonistic secularism and all of its debilitating effects; lower scholastic achievement, increased peer pressure, increased disorder, drugs, promiscuity, sex education and pregnancies, abortions, condoms and who knows what will be next. The status quo is intellectually repugnant and absurd.

CHARLES N. MARRELLI

La Puente