In the spring, a mass e-mailing circulated at the school where I teach. It reports a teacher's presentation to a school board. She says all the things expected from the teacher on a relatively small salary, and closes with “… and why can't I pray in school?” I believe material like this actually demeans prayer rather than uplifts it. Am I right?
First, let's examine what the law actually says in this area. A helpful booklet titled A Teacher's Guide to Religion in the Public Schools, published by the Freedom Forum's First Amendment Center, says: “As employees of the government, public school teachers are subject to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and thus required to be neutral concerning religion while carrying out their duties as teachers. That means, for example, that teachers do not have the right to pray with or in the presence of students during the school day.
“Outside of their school responsibilities, public school teachers are free like other citizens to teach or otherwise participate in their local religious community. But teachers must refrain from using their position in the public school to promote their religious activities.
“Teachers, of course, bring their faith with them through the schoolhouse door each morning. Because of the First Amendment, however, teachers who wish to pray or engage in other religious activities—unless they are silent—should do so outside the presence of students. If a group of teachers wishes to meet for prayer or Scripture study in the faculty lounge during their free time in the school day, we see no constitutional reason why they may not be permitted to do so as long as the activity is outside the presence of students and does not interfere with their duties or the rights of other teachers.”
Public school teachers, like all other citizens, have the right to pray. They simply do not have the right to use the power and machinery of the state to facilitate and sponsor those prayers.
As you suggest, the teacher's statements are wrong in other ways as well. Do Christians really want public school teachers leading their children in prayer? We have no idea what those prayers would sound like, or from what religious traditions they would come. The government certainly would have a measure of control over those prayers, and one need only glance at history to see that managing religion is not something the government does well. Prayer is a sacred act, not one to be ruled and regulated by government. Likewise, religion never is something to be coerced. Thus, we should oppose all attempts by the state to pressure people, especially captive audiences of children, along religious lines.
Melissa Rogers is director of the Center for Religion & Public Affairs at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. “Right or Wrong?” is sponsored by the T.B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics at Hardin-Simmons University's Logsdon School of Theology in Abilene, Texas. Send your questions about how to apply your faith to [email protected].