School Prayer from the Perspective of A Catholic School Student
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

School Prayer from the Perspective of A Catholic School Student

My private school included morning and afternoon prayers as well as religious courses that allowed me to learn about my faith. I believe there is no reason why a taxpayer-funded institution should enforce the same programs.

239
School Prayer from the Perspective of A Catholic School Student

There have been a lot of recent political discussions about prayer in public schools in America. As someone who attended private Catholic school for 13 years of my life, I experienced school prayer every day of my primary and high school experience. Every morning and afternoon after the bell, we would pray together, and we would regularly attend masses and prayer services as a school community. Prayer was a big part of my life for many years, and I support prayer in private religious institutions. However, there is no reason why prayer or religion should be a part of public school systems in the United States.


One of the most important aspects of the United States is the freedom of religious expression guaranteed in the First Amendment. The First Amendment also prohibits Congress from establishing a religion, which guarantees what Thomas Jefferson referred to as "the separation of church and state." During the founding years of the United States, many people of different faiths, though they were primarily Christian, fled religious persecution to find a safe place to freely practice their religion here. Freedom of religion was extremely important at that time, and the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause were one of the five main freedoms outlined in our Constitution when it was first written. For this reason, prayers organized by or sponsored by a public school violate the First Amendment.

Many people argue that banning school prayer is against our freedom of religion because it stops children from exercising their right to pray. However, individual prayer (that takes place in a non-disruptive way) is not and has never been banned in public schools. Children who choose to pray before meals, for example, are allowed to pray individually. It is school-sponsored prayer, in which children are forced to take part in praying at a school event or over a school loudspeaker or school-sponsored religion classes, that is unconstitutional because it forces children to take part in a religion in a coercive, mandatory way and invalidates the different faiths held by other children.

In addition to that argument, those who support prayer in public schools argue that children need to develop their whole person—including their souls—in school and that religious instruction would benefit society by causing children to be more moral. These arguments completely disregard the separation of church and state in America. Parents who choose to raise their children with religion should teach these religious messages to their children at home, and parents who want their child to pray every day should instruct their child on how to pray individually instead of expecting this to be taught and enforced in schools. Sunday school, Hebrew school, or another type of instructional religious program is a great way to teach your children about your faith. Additionally, if you cannot afford private schooling, many archdiocese or parishes offer lower-cost religious schooling. My older sister started her education at a Quaker school. When it came time to send three children to school, my parents chose a less expensive Catholic school. My parents made sure we attended mass on weekends and also taught us about prayer individually at home from a young age, including how to say the rosary and other Catholic prayers. The prevalence of any religion in a child's life should be up to their parents, not public schools, and rules that enforce school prayer alienate non-Christian Americans.


Recently, South Dakota even passed a law stating that the national saying "In God We Trust" must be displayed in a prominent location in all public schools. Though this is not enforcing school prayer, this phrase alienates members of the school community who are not religious or who believe in non-Christian faiths. I was also surprised when I started university in Virginia to find out from my classmates who had attended Virginia public schools that it was common to give optional time where Christian students could leave school to have Bible study. While this is technically not school-sponsored because it is not mandatory to go, there are no alternatives for students of other religions, and this religious instruction cuts into classroom time. While this does not force students to partake in a specific religion, it is still clearly alienating for Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, and other non-Christian students.

As someone who experienced school prayer every day in primary and high school, I understand the benefit of school prayer and why religious individuals would want to pray during school hours. There is simply no reason why school-sponsored prayer or other religious activities that alienate non-Christians should be allowed at public school when there are so many other alternative ways for parents to instruct their children in religion. Personal religious instruction at home and personal prayer during school hours of course should be allowed, but policies that discriminate against non-Christians and bring religion into secular environments should never be allowed.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

18547
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

946949
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

123549
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments