[Hound of the Baskervilles]

I am not registered to the Times but here is my view on prayer in schools. First let me say I am a Christian and I think there should never be of any kind prayer lead by a teacher or student during class time. NEVER. There should not any speeches made at graduation or other such gatherigns about Jesus or any Christian witnesssing. It is not the time and place for religious preaching or proclamation. It to me is the same kind of in your face stuff that movie stars pull when they go to accept an academy award then start pushing their politics in peoples faces. It's obnoxious. And no thanking Buddah or Krishna or Moloch either.

However any student of any denomination should be permitted to say grace over his or her lunch and join hands with others of like mind and say grace together. In addition students should be able to pray together on their own before school, around the flag pole if they agree to. There should be no bible study, no Koran study, no Torah study and no Upanishad study in any class room at any time wether lead by a teacher or by a student.

[Howlin]

Bump to that.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

For example these people who want to witness while making a graduation speech really get my goat. It's not the time and place for that. And frankly I really don't care one whit if Suzy Q valedictorian thanks Jesus every day for helping her get good grades and be elected a cheerleader. If she thanks Jesus and prays well that's just great but why does she feel she has to impart this to a crowd of strangers? Do they think that by doing this the ceremony will turn into an alter call? A graduation ceremony in a pubic school building in not the time or place to witness.

[DIM1]

Dear Hound of the Baskervilles,

That conception is, as I understand it, in keeping with the current range of opinions of the Supreme Court. I.e. that religious activities are permissible in public schools if a. organized and conducted by students, b. are entirely voluntary and c. not undertaken as part of a class or compulsorily assembly but, held at lunch, recess, study-hall, or as part of an after school club. And, though basically sound, I think it may cut too deeply into the traditions of a given community. Might there be room - aside from the pledge - for the traditions of a community to be continued? For example if the Pastor who gave the graduation address to have done so without the declaration to the effect that "only Christians can get to heaven?"

Thank you for your input,
DIM1