The fundamentalists can't seem to get it through their heads that no one, not the Supreme Court or anyone else, has banned prayer in school. In fact, I don't think it would be possible to ban prayer by students or teachers (since a quiet prayer can be offered at any time). What has been stopped by the courts is a school official leading an organized prayer (since that would be an unconstitutional establishment of religion by government -- which a public school district is) or the forcing of any student to participate in that organized prayer (which would be an unconstitutional violation of the right to religious freedom).
It can't be repeated enough that no one has banned prayer in public schools. Anyone can pray to their hearts content. The only thing that has been banned is violating the United States Constitution -- and that's something we should all be thankful for, since the rights in that Constitution should be sacrosanct.
You are right. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteBut it's persecution if we don't let the christianists say public prayers in public schools. They have the right because of their freedom of speech. At least that's what one told me in comments exchanged on whether the candidate for lieutenant governor in Virginia was a bigot or not. S/he conveniently ignored the fact that the First Amendment covers both freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
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