Posted on 03/07/2007 7:48:42 AM PST by csistrueblue
12 Washington State High School Students Suspended for Public Prayer Group
By Gudrun Schultz
VANCOUVER, Washington, March 6, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A number of students who formed an interdenominational prayer group at a Washington state high school were expelled by the administration last week over their refusal to hold a morning prayer session in a closed room, The Columbian reported March 2.
Twelve students at Heritage High School in Vancouver, WA, were suspended last Friday after continuing to meet for morning prayer in the commons area of the school, despite a faculty order that they stop causing physical "disruption" to student traffic with public prayer.
To express concerns, contact:
Heritage High School 7825 NE 130th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98682
Phone: (360) 604-3400
Principal: Anne Sosky asosky@egreen.wednet.edu
Not surprising considering that the Puget Sound region is known to be the least religious area in the U.S. Another badge of shame for Washington State.
I agree with most of what you say. But you can't make an exception for one group, no matter who they happen to be. Other groups will want to meet in the Commons area too. Even if it isn't disruptive now, the end result of letting one group meet there will be.
Possibly, and it would make sense to issue a blanket policy if and when that happens. Frankly I doubt it would, because the more groups meeting there at the same time, the fewer would find it a suitable place. It seems to be working for the prayer group now, but I imagine if a couple dozen other groups were all meeting there at the same time, including some loudly debating groups, they'd choose another spot. I have to think, though, that the cafeteria in a school this large, could accommodate quite a lot of students without any interference in "traffic" or other school operations. I mean how on earth do they manage the "traffic" problem at lunchtime??
ping
Wonder if they take the same approach to football players, cheerleaders, band members and others who travel enmasse?
A common area is not a hallway. If there was enough room for them to move "further back" it's not a hallway.
My niece experience something similar a few years ago. The high school she attended was participating in the Meet Me at the Flag Pole, which started 45 minutes before school. Some of the staff complained that a prayerful show of solidarity was some how offensive to students and teachers who were not of a like mind. The PC principal went along...
> The PC principal went along...
Then he was wrong and should have been called on it.
The right to pray doesn't include, though, the right to impede others going about their business anymore than the right to peaceably assemble gives the left wing kooks the right to shut down traffic on a busy street.
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