Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Does Prayer Belong in the Public Schools?

A constitutional amendment restoring “voluntary prayer” in public schools was proposed to Congress last month, rekindling controversy over the separation of church and state.

The amendment would allow school officials to institute a group prayer at the beginning of each class day. It would not, however, make prayer mandatory, allowing students unwilling to participate to sit silently or leave the room during the designated period.

Opponents label the measure “divisive,” claiming an organized system of prayer would marginalize some religions and invoke guilt in students choosing not to pray. Those who favor the amendment contend that more guarantees of liberties for religious students should be written into the Constitution.

If approved, the amendment would reverse a series of Supreme Court decisions that, since 1962, have barred officially sponsored school prayers. A similarly worded proposal in 1984 led to the approval of the Equal Access Act, which allows secondary school students to pray together on campus during non-class hours.

Should organized prayer be allowed back into the public school classroom?

Sara Hardman, California chairwoman of the Christian Coalition

“We started out as a very religious nation. Now, our country is being pulled apart by division. It’s killing us and we have to come together. My only concern is over how school prayer will be handled. Prayer cannot be led by teachers or students because that could lead to imposing one religion over another. A moment of silence (suggested by President Clinton)would be useless if it’s not directed. A teacher should explain that the purpose of (a moment of silence) is to communicate with your own god. All these horrible things are happening in our schools these days, yet, some people are concerned that prayer in schools will negatively affect the environment.”

Harry Schwartzbart, member, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

“Everyone has their own relationship with God. Why must all students pick the same moment to explore that relationship? A moment of silence is really a moment of nothing, which may be belittling to some religions. It will make some people feel like they’re second-class citizens. An atheist should not have to see his civil rights infringed upon in that manner. There’s (also) the possibility that people favoring (this measure) are attempting to use it as a steppingstone to advance a more specific policy. It gives teachers the opportunity to inject their own religious beliefs into the classroom.”

James Goss, chairman, religious studies department, Cal State Northridge

“There will be problems existing between religions that are specifically oriented and those who refer to a more general type of God. If a general prayer is instituted in the schools, specific-minded groups wouldn’t find it very meaningful. Yet, if you get specific, you’ll present a problem with everyone else. We’re so much more pluralistic now than from when the Founding Fathers had prayer instituted. It’s less possible to talk about a general ethos today and call it our culture.”

The Rev. Kakuyei Tada of San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple.

“Since our sect does not pray, we oppose any prayer occurring in public school. Buddhist children would feel very intimidated by being around others that are praying. Prayer and meditation belong to the home and temple environments, not public schools. We have no equivalent to prayer. Our religion is a different concept than the Judaic/Christian tradition.”