Posted on 01/31/2006 5:38:47 PM PST by wagglebee
(AgapePress) - A Texas high school has agreed to allow its Muslim students to pray during school hours. L.V. Berkner High School in Richardson had told its 30 Muslim students that praying on campus violated the U.S. Constitution's establishment clause, or the so-called separation of church and state.
In an e-mail memo to all teachers and staff, the school's principal had stated previously that "No students are to be allowed to leave [the] classroom at any time to go pray." However, after the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty intervened on behalf of the students, the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) moved to change its policy on student prayer.
Derek Gaubatz is Director of Litigation for the Becket Fund. He says many school administrators have the idea from the American Civil Liberties Union or from somebody else "that the 'wall of separation of church and state' means no religious expression is allowed and that it's impossible to do."
Gaubatz contends that informing L.V. Berkner High School and district officials "of what the rights of students are and that, in fact, religious expression of students is fully compatible with the school's other missions is a powerful message to send to all school administrators." And that message is "one that they really need to hear," he adds.
"We wrote a letter pointing the school at the relevant legal authorities," the Becket Fund spokesman notes. In it, the religious liberty advocates wrote the principal of the high school and demanded that he "cease and desist" immediately the school's "illegal decision to punish Muslim students" for exercising their right to pray.
Then, the Becket Fund representatives "actually went down and met with them, explaining that, where there's private student expression involved, that this doesn't create any impediment under the establishment clause," Gaubatz says. "In fact," he emphasizes, "students have a right under the [U.S. Constitution's] free-speech clause and the free-exercise clause to engage in religious expression in schools."
As a result of the Becket Fund's intervention, RISD officials admitted on December 16 that there had been some "confusion" regarding their policy and declared that Muslim students, like others, have the right to pray on campus. According to the district's new policy, students now have both an opportunity and a designated place to pray in the school, either at lunch or during 10 minutes of class.
"The First Amendment is alive and well again at Berkner High," Gaubatz says. All students win, he asserts, when school districts recognize their obligation to accommodate private student prayer.
Let em pray, but don't let the praying interfere with non mulsim students.
Richardson is going to hell in a handbasket. This is the same location as the Holy Land Foundation, that terrorist front closed down by the FBI post-9/11.
Well there goes church and state right there. If I had a kid goingto that school that was a strong believer, I would insist that he or she pray to Jesus, out loud, in class.
In English, Spanish, or Arabic? RISD is rapidly deteriorating into the next DISD.
Wonder what the muslim kids are praying for?.....
Islam does not mean peace
Islam means 'submission'
Liberals are behind the so called "religious tolerance" here.
QUINN'S FRIST LAW: Liberalism always generates the exact opposite of it's stated intent.
All this time I thought it meant "kill the infidels and die in the process so you can go to 'paradise' which is actually whorehouse with an open bar."
The First Amendment says absolutely nothing about a so-called "wall of separation" but it does say "shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof".
Prohibiting voluntary prayer in school violates the Establishment Clause by establishing atheism as the official State religious doctrine and also violates the Free Exercise Clause.
Well, so now I guess prayer will be returned to the schools for Christians and Jews. I guess they won't be able to ban the baccalaureate services or graduation speeches that mention religion. What a switch.
Where is the American Criminal Liberties Union in this matter, yelling "Separation of Church and State?" This decision returns the Manger and the Menorah to the Public Schools, the Ten Commandments back inside the courthouse, and Keeps God in the Pledge. I can't wait for Michael Newdow's response.
Thanks for the reply!
I'll bet that the ACLU stays out of this one.
Yeah, right.
As far as the ACLU is concerned, the only "religions" are Judaism and Christianity, everything else is a "special interest group" that deserves special protection and consideration.
B-b-b-but that would offend Muslims!!!
Imagine that. ;o)
I'm sure they can round up an old "porta-potty."
I have no problem, constitutionally or personally, with their prayers. I am a Christian and can cite many reasons why I firmly believe Islam is wrong, but before they law they should have the right to practice.
I agree, their right to freedom of religion trumps my disgust with their deranged and evil theology.
Bump. Does this mean a "call to prayer" in public schools as well?
You know, I never really looked at it that way until just now. Islam does kind of have a "Beavis and Butthead" reward scale for eternal bliss.
"You mean all we have to do is, like, blow some people up and we get to, like... do chicks?"
"Heh..heheh... yeah, matryrdom is cool..."
Decades ago, like when I was in school, they did. It's only the past few decades 3 at most, but more like 2, that they banned school prayers. Even a single decade (and a little more) when my kids were in school, they allowed individual or student led prayer.
I have no problem with the Muslims praying in school as long as they do it between classes. No pulling out the old prayer rug in the middle of Algebra class.
Classy. I'm sure Jesus would be proud.
I'll have to forward this to our school board. They seem to have trouble with any sort of religious expression. If it's okay for the Muslims, it should be okay for the rest of us.
That would be respecting an establishment of religion. Unless the prayer room is open to all students, there is a violation. I suppose it would be OK if they used it at different times, but given the diversity of religous groups present, I doubt that would be practical.
I'll bet there are more Hindus at Berkner than Muslims, and more Buddhists than either.
They dont want to get their heads cut off.
Was it Richardson or Plano that banned red and green colors at Christmastime a year or so ago? (Under the guise of "Separation...")
Ping!
Doubtful. Berkner is where my kids would go if they weren't homeschooled. Believe it or not the vast majority of Asians and Indians in this area are Christians.
Interesting to see if this has any ramifications/ripples. Are only Muslims going to be allowed religious expression, or will this right be extended to all believers in God? Hmm?
Anyone that allows a school administrator to tell you that you can not pray in school deserves to be led to the slaughter. I'd love to be back in high school again. When they tried stuff like this, we laughed and did it that much more (always kept our grades up though).
Because the Christians and Jews didn't threaten to blow up the school if they weren't allowed to pray!
Much as I despise the religion of piss, a classroom that is not being used (cycles around from hour to hour in most schools should be more than sufficent), and the concerned students should know when to be able to go if such an accomodation is granted.. For that matter, what intrusion on establishment/free exercise is it for a interfaith chapel on-site where the students can go to pray...
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