Simons 1

Mkayla Simons
Ms.Hensel
English IV
1 March 2016

School Prayer
School Prayer has become a problem in many different schools.Many people including
the government have expressed their opinion on it and how it affects them. Students in school
think that school prayer violates and brainwashes their view on religion.In the 1960s school
prayer was issued in the Supreme Court. Students point to religiously-themed state mottos such
as In God We Trust that is in the Pledge of Allegiance for centuries (Ballaro Beverly and
Simone Isadora).Some schools banned prayer because certain school districts and government
believe it violates the Constitution and some peoples rights that do not want to participate in
prayer.
The people believe that they are being forced into a religious body which they dont
believe in. Schools that have forced their religious views to students have been trialed against in
many cases all over the U.S. The Supreme Court exclaimed,Neither the United States nor any
State should compose the words of any prayer to be said in public schools. It is illegal to
forcefully make the students participate and believe in prayer (Know your Rights Students ).
Students want the government to respect their natural rights as citizens of the country.
Students in public schools have become outraged on behalf of no respect between
separation of church and state. Some students dont believe in a God and feel like they're in a
church instead of a school. During a graduation ceremony a tradition prayer was held at a few
Lincoln County High School, young students that appear to atheist stop the whole graduation

Simons 2
ceremony. The students were very uncomfortable and didnt believe the tradition should be held
in their presents. One student said; This is a place for school, not a church. I feel like Im
graduating from Lincoln County High, not Lincoln County Church. (Debbie Weisman). Students
freely express their opinion to the Board of Education.
Students that have protested against school prayer know that it is unconstitutional due to
the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment (Ballaro, Beverly and Simone Isadora). It
does prohibit the force of any law that gives preference to or compels belief in any single
religion. The students argue that childrens spiritual education should be a private matter left to
parents rather than teachers. Schools shouldnt be allowed to make an impact on the children's
spiritual viewpoint. Many argue that children should have a free expression of religion. The idea
that the structures of state or national government should be kept separate from those of religious
institutions. Even though it has been a tradition for many centuries to do with the birth of
America.
Parts of the government have established their own opinion I have come to find out that
Republicans are very supportive of prayer in schools and would like to benefit the people who do
participate in religion. All though the Democrats are not very supportive of prayer in schools
because they believe people who do not participate in religion shouldnt be enforced in prayer
(Rebecca Riffkin). The government says that all students technically lose their rights in public
schools. There's always going to be a tie to what is wrong and what is right due to how the
constitution was written.
Religious students have opposed the thought of School Prayer becoming banned.Many
say that school prayer should be allowed in schools and that it takes away the freedom of speech
and religion.Religious students think that it contradicting the 1st amendment restriction of free

Simons 3
thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all people. It is the one un-American act that
could most easily defeat us (Douglas).
In conclusion School Prayer has been discuss between the people and state whether it is
should or shouldnt be banned. School Prayer has become banned in many schools due to it
being unconstitutional and violates students view on religion. Supreme Court has established that
it was wrong and illegal against the First Amendment even though it was part of American
Culture for many years. School Prayer is now currently banned in some public schools due to the
separation between church and state.

Work Cited
"A Conversation With Debbie Weisman, Plaintiff In The 1992 School Prayer Case Lee V.
Weisman." Church & State 67.1 (2014): 6. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
Ballaro, Beverly, and Simone Isadora. "School Prayer: An Overview." Points Of View: School
Prayer (2015): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.

Simons 4
Douglas, William O. The One Un-American Act. American Library Association. American
Library Association, n.d. Web. 3 March 2016.
Know Your Rights: Students Religious Rights at School." Know Your Rights:
Students Religious Rights at School. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.
Riffkin, Rebecca. "In U.S., Support For Briefing (2014): 2. Business Source Premier.
Web. 17 Feb. 2016. Daily Prayer In Schools Dips Slightly." Church and Schools