 |
Salmah Muhammad performs Friday
prayers at Berkner High School.
Posted on 03/07/2003 2:36:24 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Sessions let teens at high school pray, get back to class
03/07/2003
RICHARDSON – The teenage boys and girls gather in opposite corners of the Berkner High School lecture hall.
As most of their classmates head to a Friday afternoon pep rally, their conversation drifts from college applications to whether drinking is permitted by the holy book.
Soon, a young man in a Ralph Lauren T-shirt and jeans walks to the front of the room to begin the call to prayer.
"Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar," he chants, and the students form lines facing northeast to begin the Juma.
The Muslim prayer service has been a weekly occurrence at the Richardson high school for almost three years. Berkner's sizable Muslim population came together in 2000-01 to advocate for such religious accommodations and formed RISD's first Muslim Students Association.
"We're the founding fathers of student Muslim associations, as far as we know," teacher sponsor Scott Spaulding said, adding that representatives of other school districts often ask him how it was done.
Still, according to data collected by a representative of the international Muslim Students Association, such groups are usually found only at colleges and universities, and formal Friday prayer sessions are uncommon on public school campuses.
Shaheen Kazi of MSA's National Religious Accommodations Task Force reports that in 1998, fewer than 20 took place at public schools in the Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Houston areas.
Not much has changed in the last five years, although 6 million to 7 million Muslims live in the United States and Friday prayer attendance almost doubled between 1994 and 2000.
"The U.S. Muslim student population is increasing, and because of that there have been more requests to allow Friday prayers in school. But it's still rare," Ms. Kazi said.
The international organization helps students start chapters and teaches them how to campaign for their religious convictions.
Friday afternoon prayers in the Muslim faith are equivalent to Christians' Sunday and Jews' Saturday sacred activities. They must be performed at a specific time and by a group of four or more to receive the best possible blessing.
Boosting attendance
In most cases, observant students leave school to attend a mosque and miss school the entire afternoon.
Berkner High School's principal said that's one reason he approved the sessions, which up to 80 students attend.
"This had nothing to do with religion for me," Dave Casey said. "This has enabled the students to meet the tenets of their faith and get back to class."
Mr. Casey recognized that with the ongoing church-state and school-prayer debate, his decision might be controversial. However, he said, the law and respect for cultural diversity were on his side.
Fairness concerns
To those who question whether students of other faiths have the same opportunities, he answers that most religions allow prayer any time and anywhere, while the Muslim faith does not.
Local Christian and Jewish clergy largely support allowing the prayer service.
"I appreciate the fact that they're not penalizing these students for their faith, and I would hope that would be true of other expressions of faith, including Christianity, Judaism and so on," said the Rev. Clayton Oliphant of Richardson's First United Methodist Church.
Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation calls it "over accommodation."
"This appears to us to amount to taxpayer subsidy of a 'place of worship,' " she said.
The U.S. Equal Access Act states that secondary schools receiving federal funds must allow students to form religious clubs if other non-curriculum-related clubs are permitted. Those clubs also should have equal access to school facilities.
Texas law allows students to voluntarily pray or meditate, individually and silently, as long as it doesn't disrupt instruction or school activities.
State, federal laws
In addition, districts must comply when federal and state laws or statutes require schools to make accommodations that "relieve substantial burdens on students' religious exercise."
For the Muslim prayers, fifth-period teachers release the participants from class to attend the 40-minute service. The students say the sessions build unity among the students, educate their peers on the Muslim faith and encourage more Muslim students to stick to their religious principles.
"A lot of people who wouldn't pray usually [do] pray," said senior Sophia Jetpuri, president of the school's Muslim Student Association.
The group received startup funds from the Islamic Association of North Texas, which frequently provides religious speakers to perform the khutba, or 20-minute sermon, between the prayers.
Marwan Marouf, a youth leader for the Richardson mosque, said he welcomes the chance to speak to the students. He usually applies religious principles to daily events. On Valentine's Day, for instance, he urged students to preserve their religious uniqueness.
Mr. Marouf acknowledged he occasionally covers subjects some people might consider political but that are intertwined with the Muslim faith.
The Berkner MSA also conducts Islamic Awareness Week activities, goes on group outings and offers support for members in their everyday lives, Mr. Marouf said.
E-mail khughes@dallasnews.com
|
Local Christian and Jewish clergy largely support allowing the prayer service.As is mentioned elsewhere in the article, as long as all faiths are treated equally it's all good. The only thing the Supreme Court decisions have forbidden is making vocal prayer an integral part of classes or other activities which also have a secular purpose."I appreciate the fact that they're not penalizing these students for their faith, and I would hope that would be true of other expressions of faith, including Christianity, Judaism and so on," said the Rev. Clayton Oliphant of Richardson's First United Methodist Church.
-Eric
Second, government doesn't belong in the education business anyway. Religious pressure on the government schools is one of the best levers we have for re-privatizing American education. Let's use it for that, and not allow our opponents to co-opt us out of it by allowing specious "prayer sessions" or mini-chapels in the government schools.
Sometimes, as we learn in judo and aikido, you can exploit your enemy's strength for your own purposes. This is one such case.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit The Palace Of Reason:
http://palaceofreason.com
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.