School administrators at Pine Creek High School in Colorado have ordered an informal prayer group to stop meeting during a designated free period, citing the separation of church and state. But even the ACLU says, Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the Establishment Clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, pray before tests, and discuss religion with other willing student listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities (e.g., students may not decide to pray just as a teacher calls on them). In informal settings, such as the cafeteria or in the halls, students may pray either audibly or silently, subject to the same rules of order as apply to other speech in these locations. However, the right to engage in voluntary prayer does not include, for example, the right to have a captive audience listen or to compel other students to participate. ~https://aclu.org/religion-belief/joint-statement-current-law-religion-public-schools
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 07:42:53 +0000
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