A Christian prayer meeting was advertised, today, during AM announcements at my kid's public school.

[Unreconstructed Lib]

It will be held on school grounds, but attendance is optional and it will be outside, before the school day begins. My problem with it is the school-wide PA announcement and the flyers taped up on school property. I think it goes without saying that, if my kid wanted the same access to resources for the advertisement and conduct of a non-Christian belief meeting on school grounds, he would be turned down.

I can't push this issue because my husband is a district employee and, given certain health problems, we can't even remotely consider risking the loss of his job and benefits. But I am disturbed by the situation and wonder what y'all think.

And, please, if you want to argue about religion, don't do it here. Start a different thread.

[MadMaddie]

1. I agree with you...I wonder if a Muslim prayer group or Buddah

prayer group wanted to do the same thing what would the school response be?

[Unreconstructed Lib]

3. How about a meeting of atheists? That'd go over like a cement balloon.

I can just about guarantee it.

[valerief]

6. That would be like a meeting of the UnSanta Clausers. There's nothing

to talk about.

[Unreconstructed Lib]

9. Apparently, secular humanists, atheists, etc....

...have plenty to talk about and they meet regularly to do so.

[valerief]

15. Yeah, but it's about how to deal with theists. Otherwise, their meetings

would be about, say, the environment and that would be a meeting of environmentalists.

If atheists met to talk about religion (not the politics of religion), what would they talk about? "I don't believe in god." "I don't believe in god." "I don't' believe in god." Get it? Nothing to talk about!

(BTW, I'm one of them.)

[mac2]

25. I agree...

religious groups who aren't the majority would be under pressure and not allowed to meet on public property. They would turn away Muslims, Humanists, Agnostics, etc.

This is why it should not be allowed period.

[valerief]

2. There should be a separation of church and state and mandatory public schools are state.

Maybe someone could add a separation of church and state to the Constitution.

The what? Wasn't that an old ship?

Oh, wait. It's already in the Constitution. Only problem is Bush has made the Constitution null and void.

We are the Soviet Union our teachers warned us about. Be prepared for toilet paper lines.

[Unreconstructed Lib]

4. It's not actually in the Constitution, in those words, but there's pretty compelling evidence...

...that it's what the framers were contemplating when they wrote the First Amendment.

http://www.motherjones.com/cgi-bin/print_article.pl?url=http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2005/12/original_intent.html

[valerief]

5. Hey, that First Amendment to the Constitution says it for me! nt

[eagler]

7. As long as it isn't mandatory I see no problem.

[Unreconstructed Lib]

8. That's not the point.

The point is equal access to the school's advertising resources--flyers and PA announcements--for non-Christian belief group meetings. As I indicated, I can't test the waters but I'm pretty sure I know what the answer would be, if I did.

[eagler]

10. don't assume anything

[AndyTiedye]

11. Clear Violation of the "Establishment" Clause of the First Amendment

It shouldn't be on school grounds, and it certainly should not get free advertising on the school PA.

[eagler]

12. Not so. ...Or prohibiting the Free exercise thereof .

To prohibit it would also be a violation of freedom of speech and assembly.

[AndyTiedye]

13. On Taxpayer-Funded School Property, Promoted by Government Employees Over the School PA

and all of this consideration only offered to ONE religion.

These violate the Establishment clause.

[eagler]

14. The 1st amendment makes no distinction between public or private property.

As long as the activity is not publicly endorsed or funded and as long as other groups are allowed to gather. These people are taxpayers too and are allowed to use of the property they help to pay for.

[JDPriestly]

18. Right. The real problem is that non-Christians don't use the same right

to organize and meet and give their children a sense of belonging in the public sphere. If you are Jewish, you don't hold meetings on school grounds. Maybe you should every once in a while, just to remind the majority that you exist and that your children have the right to enjoy their traditions and heritage and beliefs in public.

[Indy Lurker]

21. They probably allow ALL kinds of Christians n/t

[DangerDave921]

22. Sorry but no

Schools are NOT allowed to discriminate against religious groups. The current law of the land is that religious student groups can meet on school grounds provided they are voluntary only. And of course these groups can use the school's PA system just like any other school group. To deny this school group based on their religious affiliation would be discrimination.

[lightningandsnow]

16. *Sigh* we had a Christian club last year at my school...

And, since I'm president of my school's gay-straight alliance, they were constantly getting on my case, and everyone else's.

Their purpose was not to practice any form of christianity, but to argue with us. It really wasn't fun.

[JDPriestly]

17. Why don't you ask if you may announce a meeting for parents

who are not Christians to take place at some time on the school grounds? This is a free speech issue. Unless you assert your rights, you won't have them. I'll bet there are other parents who are offended by this. Are there any Buddhists or Hindus or Jewish people or atheists or Unitarians or other religions with children in your school? Here in L.A. there generally are children from all religions in classrooms.

[mac2]

24. Even Christians may not approve of the school policy

Many Americans who are Christians don't want public and private mixed. It could ruin their religious group because the clergy who has the most political pull could win and destroy theirs. By a large margin, they don't trust religious leaders with their tax dollars or agenda. If any religious group is to meet it should be off public property. I don't want my tax dollars used for any religious cause or meeting.

Contact Americans for Separation of Church and State and ask what they suggest.

[TAZller]

19. So shut up and do nothing...

I realize that often posters use DU to vent or to garner sympathy amongst a like mind group...but I hope your discomfort that pushed you to make this post goes a bit more deap.

Of course there is something you can do... and if it is not an exageration of the environment in which this is occuring, to fear a loss of job by complaing, then you SHOULD do something.

Of course you feel like you cannot do this openly, so do it anonymously. Write an unsigned letter to the principal. Be reasoned and describe your discomfort with using school resources and mindshare to promote a religous event. Describe an environment where you feel you cannot complain openly. And ask for something specific; no moe religous announcements, or a clear policy regarding all extra-curricular announcements. If you get no action, send a similar letter to all of the teachers asking them to press the administration to address this issue. Still no action, send the letter to the school board...to the PTA...

This course of action will likely at least get some sort of response. And, if you are lucky it will find a champion that is not similarily constrained by your situation, keeping you in the shadows. Seem too extreeme, or too much work? Then you are all too happy to live in an environment where you fear loosing the security and continue being bothered by those that are exercising freedoms that should be afforded to others.

[Indy Lurker]

20. You'll never know until you try (or someone else does)

"I think it goes without saying that, if my kid wanted the same access to resources for the advertisement and conduct of a non-Christian belief meeting on school grounds, he would be turned down."

I'd bet good money they have never even considered this.

You may also find that they do not have a problem with it as long as they can still announce their group meetings.

I'd be happy to give them a call and ask.

[Umagma]

23. That's not entirely true.....

A few years ago at a high school in Maine, my niece and some friends of hers wanted to start a prayer/Bible club. They wanted to use their lunch period to get together and have discussions that would be Christian based. The school said NO WAY!
After bringing it to the school's attention that similar privileges had been given to the school's Muslim population (they had actually given them a room to conduct their prayers), my niece was informed that it was a cultural thing for them and not a religious one. All PC BS

[Bad Words]

26. Your concern is based on an assumption

If you believe some religion other than Christianity, and you wish to have your meeting announced in a similar fashion, and they turn you down, then you have something to complain about. But since not of that has happened, I see only complaining about a made up scenario. Other than your complaint being based in your imagination, it also seems very unlikely to me. Perhaps a couple decades ago this may have been the case, but I would really be surprised if your assumptions are correct.

[Imperiosus]

27. GASP

Oh no! A "Christian Prayer" in a Christian-majority country! Its the end of the world! Someone call the ADL and the ACLU! The end is near!