Public School Prayer Essay

However, a significant problem of school prayer in public schools is that most prayers relate to the Christian religion and often refer to the Christian concept of God.

However, a significant problem of school prayer in public schools is that most prayers relate to the Christian religion and often refer to the Christian concept of God.By allowing prayer sessions that establish Christianity as superior to other religions and to secular thought, school prayers discriminate against the members of other religions and exclude against atheists (Gaylor, 1995).As a result, there is no close association or direct correlation between religion and morality, and thus the notion that religion promotes morality is false and cannot be used to justify school prayer.

Thus, while banning school prayer does not restrict the religious freedom of the individual students, allowing official prayers in public schools would violate the religious freedom of the students who worship other religions, who do not worship any religion, and who do not want to participate in a religious prayer session.

School prayer supporters also typically contend that enforcing school prayer sessions strengthens the morals of the students and decreases common problems that adolescents often experience, such as violence, pregnancy, crime, drug use, alcoholism and HIV transmission.

Additionally, over 10 percent of US citizens are atheists or secular thinkers (Loconte, 1995).

As a result, classrooms are often replete with students who are from diverse ethnic backgrounds and who have very different religious attitudes, and it is discriminatory for a public school to favor one religion as superior.

Although families and churches can teach religious doctrine, many Supreme Court decisions have determined that it is unconstitutional for a public school to teach that one particular religion is correct or that the myths of a religion are literal (Robinson). Retrieved from Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services, Inc.

However, advocating Christian prayers in government-funded public schools promotes the notion that Christianity is the correct religion and that the Bible is literal. "Banning School Prayer from Public Schools." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services.

However, this is also false, for religion is not at all directly related to morality.

Christianity does not determine the level of one’s morality, and Christians have been responsible for excessive and immoral violence throughout human history, including the Crusades, the Inquisition, the German Nazi movement, and the murders of gay people or abortion clinic physicians.

Another significant reason for banning prayer in public schools is that providing a religious and dominantly Christian atmosphere in the schools impairs the quality of the education that the students receive.

Public schools serve the important function of educating our children to enhance their knowledge, strengthen their minds, and prepare them to develop great ideas and become excellent workers. "Banning School Prayer from Public Schools." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services.