[written by a teen in Bagdad, Arizona]
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught such "judgments" do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen
Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught such "judgments" do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot; My soul please take!
Amen
4 comments:
Hey, guess what: Prayer is not now, not has it ever been, illegal in American public schools. Anyone can pray whenever they want, aloud or otherwise.
It is not illegal to talk about the Christian God, or any other religion; it is only illegal for a public school to teach that a particular religion is true or false. I imagine you'd agree with this if your kid's school was teaching from the Mormom's testament, or teaching that the Pope is infallible (etc).
In the same way, the Bible is not banned. It can appear in literature, history, and comparative religions classes... just not science (because it's not science). Same for the Ten Commandments.
If you have an actual case where your child was banned from praying, or from carrying a bible, etc, PLEASE call the ACLU: they will defend you. You could also try the ACLJ: they specialize in religious issues.
By the way: saying that praying in school is against the law, when it clearly is not, fits either the definition of "wrong" or "lying"... So which is it?
Dear Crappy,
You should do some research before you go off half-cocked. I could reprint the article from the Encyclopedia of Everyday Law, [http://www.enotes.com/everyday-law-encyclopedia/school-prayer-pledge-allegiance] but you probably wouldn't read it anyway.
Joshua Burton, a 10 year-old fourth grader at Columbia Elementary School in Orange County, Florida, was forced to stand in a corner, and was later scolded by his principal for violating the “separation of church and state,” because he brought a Bible to school. The Liberator, April 1995, and The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail, p.111
In June of 1998, public school teacher Mildred Rosario prayed with her class over the death of one of her students. Later that week she was fired. In December 1998, fifth grade instructor Simpson Gray was fired from the same Bronx school district where Rosario had taught. His crime? He brought a Bible to school, and he made Christian resources available to his students upon their request. New York Post, 12/12/98
It is unconstitutional for students to see the Ten Commandments posted at a public school because their effect would be to “induce the schoolchildren to read, meditate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments.” (Stone vs. Graham, 1980) Original Intent, by David Barton
Why is it done? “What’s the Christian-bashing all about? Simple. A struggle for the soul of America is under way, a struggle to determine whose views will serve as the basis of law.” Pat Buchanan, Washington Times, 6/15/
R. Hoeppner,
I did read that, and nothing in it contradicts what I said. In fact, it appears you did not read it in its entirety. From the section titled "Permissible Private Prayer and Secular Study of Religion":
"The Supreme Court has never banned students from praying voluntarily and privately on their own, provided there is no state intervention. Students simply must do so without the guidance or COERCION of school authorities. Religious student groups may meet after school like other student clubs, as guaranteed by the federal Equal Access Act, and pray on their own.
"Study of religion is also constitutionally permitted. Even in its earliest prayer cases, the Supreme Court noted that schools were free to discuss religion within the context of a secular course of instruction, such as, for instance, a history course."
Again and again, the supreme court has upheld the freedom of religion by not permitting state-run schools to impose religion on students. Your child and mine both have freedom of religion. Your child is free to pray, he or she simply cannot use the school PA system to do so.
Once more: prayer is not banned in public schools. If you have a legitimate case, please call the ACLU: they will defend you.
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