Fighting for Prayer

Religion and prayer has been a debated since 1962. It's been argued on whether teachers should be allowed to explain their religion and if kids have to pray in school, or if religious acts should be allowed such as moments of silence, praying at athletic games and so forth. Before the  1960's, prayer had been allowed, teachers would have bible study and prayer. The government has often argued about religion and there have been many cases where religion will collide with government. Prayer has had many restrictions by the US Supreme Court. Prayer is part of a religion, and religion is part of who you are, even if you don't have or believe in religion, what you believe makes up your identity, I think prayer, religion, and the freedom to follow whatever you may believe in should be allowed in American public schools.

It's been an issue since the Engel v. Vitale case in 1962, when the New Hyde Park, New York, Union Free District No. 9 told the principal to give prayer in the beginning of the school day, with a teacher present in each class. 10 of these student's parents complained and gave in a suit to the New York State asking that the prayer be banned from schools. The parents reasons for this was because the morning prayer went against their beliefs and religion. The New York State resolved that "so long as the schools did not compel any pupil to join in the prayer over his or her parents objection" The case was that the New York Union Free District had violated the rights of the freedom of religious belief. I don't think students were violated did because they had the choice not to participate. If someone is praying, you can have the option to just politely stand or sit there, you aren't forced to participate. This is like in the school, the students didn't have to be in that position to pray, so to try and sue the school is ridiculous because it's what the school believes and you can't sue them for that because you believe in something else.

Since this case, there has been conflict between religion and the government. One of the most controversy in the government and religions is the US Pledge of Allegiance. "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God,  indivisible,  with liberty and justice for all". The argument for this is, what if you don't believe in God? What if you believe in something else? Like for example, Wiccan, they believe that there is a Goddess and a God. "under God" is saying that there is only one God, which goes against there religion. Students in the morning repeat the Pledge of Allegiance with their hands placed over their heart. It's required to recite the allegiance in most American public schools, whether they are in elementary school or in collage. It doesn't go against any law or amendment, but it can make someone uncomfortable if it's not exactly what they believe in. To say that you pledge, or promise to a country that is under God, and God might not be what you believe in, can go against what you believe in. There isn't exactly a resolution to this because when this was written in 1954, most of Americans were christian, and pledging under God wasn't a big deal. You can't form a different Pledge of Allegiance because there are still people who do believe in God and there isn't anyway to change it. But to be forced to say the Pledge Of Allegiance, which in some schools students are, to be forced to pledge your allegiance to a God that you might not believe in, can go against someone's religion, which is something that nobody should be forced to go through.

Children's viewpoint on how the Government decides over how they will show their religion, impacted me. In this site, the children talk about how they feel about the Government making laws and rules that aren't swayed by religion. They speak strongly about how they feel about religious people being treated poorly because they can't do things that the laws required, such Jehovah's Witnesses, can't say the Pledge of Allegiance because it is against their religion. They also argue about how in Texas, they can't say prayers at football games anymore. I think that these children have a point. A common argument they have is, that how they pray, how they live their lives is under the protection of the First Amendment, which allows you to worship under your own religion freely. If the law says that they can no longer say prayers at football games, then the law is breaking the First Amendment, these schools wish to pray before games, so why can't they? Why does the law forbid it? Schools should be allowed to follow whatever religious exercise as long as the children aren't forced to participate. This is letting everyone worship whatever way they want.

Religion hasn't been a problem until the 1960's and it shouldn't have to be a problem. The Pledge of Allegiance was written by Christians, which is why they say "under God" but just because you don't believe in God, doesn't mean you aren't an American. Teachers should be allowed to talk and mention or speak freely about what they believe. Schools should be allowed to pray, to follow the religion of their choice, and children should have the choice of how they can worship without being forced to by the schools. Religion shouldn't be conflicting problem. Most religions teach to be peaceful, so why is it so conflicted and controversial? I think that having the freedom to believe in whatever you want, to worship however you want, and to speak about your religion is something worth fighting for.

(Picture URL: http://clearriver.org/jefflingblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/slpersecution_lrg.jpg)