Let me start this out by saying I am a Christian woman and that when I say allowing religion in school, I am not just referring to Christianity, and I'm not saying to make religion the main focus.
Some places have banned Bibles in schools, because they could offend people. Teachers aren't allowed to discuss their religion, nor lead prayers on campus. Those of the Muslim faith aren't allowed to observe their times of prayer. Those of pagan belief are told not to wear their pentacles or tree of life charms because that would be offensive.
Religion is everywhere you look. Are we going to ban the United State's Pledge of Allegiance because it says, "One nation under God?" Some places have already removed the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and the Moment of Silence they had reserved from prayer from schools. Are we going to ban money from schools because they say "In God We Trust"? Why is it that Christians are allowed to wear their crosses without comment while Wiccans are ridiculed for their Pentacle and Tree of Heart necklaces, sometimes even told by teachers to remove them. Students are discouraged from reading religious material at school.
If a group of students wish to pray over their food at lunch, they have that right, and should a teacher wish to join them in the blessing, I believe that teacher should be allowed. Prayers don't cause harm, and just because one prays to one God and another to many gods doesn't mean their right to pray should be evoked. As long as their religious rights don't extend to the point that they are forced upon someone of a different faith, or doesn't cause harm to anyone, students should be able to exercise their rights to Freedom of Religion here in America, and all over the world. Schools everywhere should practice religious tolerance at the least, as well as have required classes that touch basis on all the different religions, or at least all the major ones and as many of the minor ones as they can, especially any that would apply to students at the school.
There was a time that a prayer was said every morning in school, but that was ceased to keep from forcing a religion on those who don't believe. Now we are teaching our youth not to follow their religion for fear of insulting someone. It's almost like we are trying to teach youth to be ashamed to show their religion in a scholarly manner.673Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldOKdyOEbs
Some schools no longer do any "winter" or Christmas programs, for fear of insulting those whose religion doesn't support the Christmas holiday. One can't bring up ones faith without having someone attack it, and teachers and administrators seem to ignore it. When my youngest daughter was mocked for her religious beliefs, her teacher only informed me that kids would be kids and I should tell my daughter to just ignore it, as well as I shouldn't allow my daughter to bring her Bible to school if I didn't want her to be teased.
School is supposed to do more than teach students academically, but also help to shape them for the future. By allowing students to be given false messages concerning their religion, they aren't shaping them, they are building a society full of intolerance, where religion is something no one speaks about out of fear.
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