Prayer Memo Alarms School

Anaheim high school district officials declared that it was time for students to reflect--not necessarily pray--when theirs became the first district in Orange County to require a daily “moment of silence” in the classroom this year.

So faculty members at Magnolia High School said they were surprised and alarmed this week when, a day before the new policy took effect, a memo appeared in their mailboxes offering up a number of religious prayers that students could call on during their morning moment of silence.

The memo--written on the stationery of a school program called PAL, or Peer Assistance Leadership--was intended for teachers who want to give their students suggestions on how to use the one-minute break, said PAL coordinator Donna Smith, who distributed the memo.

“It had nothing to do with prayer,” Smith said Friday. “It had to do with bridging gaps between our culturally diverse student population and encouraging students to respect one another.”

But the two-page memo angered several teachers and district officials who learned about its distribution this week, including Assistant Supt. Craig Haugen, who called Smith’s actions “completely inappropriate.” He said school officials have discussed the memo with Smith and planned to address the issue at a faculty meeting next week.

“This is certainly not what we meant to happen when we established the moment of silence,” Haugen said, noting that the memo was circulated only at Magnolia High School and not districtwide. “I’m confident we’re taking care of the issue now, though. And any time you implement a new program there’s going to be some bumps along the way.”

ACLU officials, however, said the memo crossed the line set by courts in banning government-sanctioned prayer in school.

“It’s unconstitutional, and they will be sued if they’re not careful,” said Michael Small, chief counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. “Basically, what they’re doing is handing out a list of prayers to students in a public school. I don’t see how anyone can say that’s permissible under the law.”

Smith’s listing of half a dozen prayers from various religious groups instead of promoting one particular faith does not absolve the district of wrongdoing, Small said. The memo introduces the listed prayers as being “from major religions of the world.” The six prayers are Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Unitarian-Universalist.

“Even if they’re trying to do the right thing by not leaving anybody out, they have inevitably left somebody out, and that is not something to be taken lightly,” Small said. “They’re treading on very, very dangerous ground.”

Further complicating matters, religious leaders said Friday, are the questions of how the prayers were chosen for each religion in the first place and how accurately they reflect each religion’s beliefs.

In the Christian prayer, for example, there is no mention of Jesus as the savior, an omission that many followers would take exception to, said the Rev. Fred Plumer of Irvine United Church of Christ.

“These may be little things, of course, and overall I don’t see a real problem with the teacher’s attempt to foster understanding among students this way,” Plumer said. “Her intentions were good, I’m sure, and her heart is in the right place. But I also understand the fear of opening up the door--even a crack--on an issue like this.”

Other religious leaders said they were disturbed by the memo because it allows one teacher from one particular faith to suggest prayers for many faiths, a move that undoubtedly weakens the power of their traditions.

“For the moment of silence to work, it’s imperative that it is strictly neutral,” said Rabbi Arnold Rachlis of University Synagogue in Irvine. “As soon as people want to come in and structure the moment of silence, it destroys any chance at that.”

Helen Colburn, director of the Assn. of Christian Churches of Anaheim, also had concerns. Colburn thinks the moment of silence is a “great idea” and doesn’t see anything wrong with kids taking a moment to reflect on the kinds of people they want to become. But Colburn said she thinks students should come up with their own prayers.

“If they want to stop and say, ‘Dear Lord, help me,’ what’s wrong with that?” said Colburn, who runs off-campus religious education programs for Anaheim elementary school students. “People are so afraid of mentioning God. They are afraid to do anything righteous or good.”

It wasn’t immediately clear Friday where the list of prayers came from, and Smith declined to discuss the memo further, referring questions to district officials instead.

Haugen said one of the primary goals of PAL is to promote harmony and understanding among the district’s diverse 30,000 students, who speak roughly 72 languages.

The memo, which is unsigned, is presented as “some ideas from PAL for the moment of silence.” Before listing the prayers, it acknowledges that some students may use the moment “to reflect on personal goals for the day, or just clear the mind and listen to silence.”

“Clearly, the teacher didn’t mean any harm and was trying to be helpful,” Haugen said. “But she miscommunicated the whole concept of what we’re trying to do.”

Times staff writer Elaine Gale contributed to this report.

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Recommended Prayers

A memo to teachers at Magnolia High School in Anaheim recommends the following prayers for the district-mandated “moment of silence” each day. Many on and off campus say suggesting prayers--of any religion--is improper in a public school.

A Bahai Prayer

O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of thy might and the wondrous signs of thy greatness. O God, protect these children. Graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity. O God, these children are pearls. Cause them to be nurtured within the shell of thy loving kindness. Thou are the bountiful, the all-loving.

A Buddhist Prayer

Even as a mother at the risk of her life watches over and protects her only child, so with a boundless mind should one cherish all living things. Let none by anger or hatred wish harm to another. May all beings be happy. May they live in safety, free from fear and distress.

A Christian Prayer

Loving God, you sent Jesus to show us how to live nonviolently. Jesus, you listened carefully to everyone. You cared about the feelings of others. You forgave those who hurt you. Your heart went out to people no one else cared about. Jesus, send us your spirit to help each of us be truthful whenever we speak, loving whenever we act and courageous whenever we find violence or injustice around us. We make our family pledge counting on your mercy and love to help us live it faithfully.

An Islamic Prayer

All praise is due to you, our Lord, guardian and cherisher of the universe, who have sent the prophets to teach us how to live as full human beings. Make us among those who can truly say, “We hear and obey.” Awaken in our hearts those attributes you love the best and help us to be merciful, compassionate, forgiving, truthful, just and patient with each other and with all those around us. Make us worthy to be counted in the community of your beloved, who said, “The best of you are those who are the best to their families.”

A Jewish Prayer

O God, God of my brothers and sisters, relations and friends, God of my ancestors, God of all connections with all things, you, through all obstacles. You, in our emptiness and in our abundance, you, in our search for peace. You. We have given ourselves to sacred coalition with you in the repair of the world. Tikkun. As you make peace there, let there be peace among us, among all peoples, changing the world one person at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time, one world. Amen.

A Unitarian-Universalist Prayer

Mystery of life, source of all being, we are thankful for the gifts of life and being, of love and connection. We are thankful for all the wonders of the world around us. We are thankful for each other and for all the members of our global family. As we make our family pledge, may we have eyes that see, hearts that love and hands that are ready to serve in love and in kindness, with caring and with courage. Blessed be.