Religion In Public Schools

3 Pages 795 Words

Religion In Public Schools
In the past Religion was confined to the state now with religious freedom
everything has changed or at least started to change. In order for religion to
be in a private school now it is again trying to be in Public schools. People
ask "why can't freedom to acknowledge god be enjoyed again by children in every
schoolroom across this land?" In the past, a long time ago children always
prayed before class started and before lunch. But things h ave changed, "in 1791
the separation of church and state" started. Although it was made clear about
the separation of the two "as late as 1951 some twenty states permitted schools
to begin the day by reading aloud a passage of the bible." Bu t that had to stop.
People didn't have the same beliefs when it comes to religion, if a family
absent even believe in god why should their child be forced to pray? On many
different occasions questions similar to this one were brought up and complained
about. That is what started it all real big.
When complaining, arguing and fighting all started over the silent moment. In
1978 a few lawyers got together and considered a constitutional law. The
original law said that public school teachers in gr ades 1-6 "shall announce
that a period of silence, not to exceed one minute, shall be observed for
meditation." This law did not work for long, because it still allowed oral
prayer in public high schools. Later in 1981, the Alabama State Senator Donald G.
Holmes successfully passed a bill that included all grades calling it "the
moment of silence" this law said that "the teacher (was) to announce that the
silent moment may be used for voluntary prayer." Although it would have to be si
lent prayer. Even after this new law started the lawyers that were opposed to
this were trying to say that students "do not have a right to pray in school"
silently or otherwise because of growing impressions that affect their life. The
si...