As a mom, I’m curious as to why there continues to be a school prayer debate. This is a free country, right? If kids want to pray in school, they may–as long as they take the initiative themselves and as long as they aren’t disrupting classroom time to do it. In my state, prayer cannot be a school-sponsored activity. In fact, teachers are no longer allowed to even tell kids where or why they go to church (if they do). A friend of mine who is an elementary school teacher was told she could no longer keep her Bible on her desk in her classroom. This open expression of her personal religious beliefs might influence her students. Hmmmm. Isn’t that what teachers are supposed to do?
Our country is founded on Judeo-Christian principles, although we continue to slide further and further away from them. Years ago, every school classroom was led in a short daily prayer. We dismissed that practice in the 60’s, and the results are obvious. One of my favorite verses is Proverbs 3:5-6:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Just looking at the past few decades, it’s apparent that our paths are not very straight. We are much like the Israelites, just wandering around, failing to acknowledge God in all our ways.
Why is it so upsetting to some people if others want to pray?
Coming up this Thursday is the National Day of Prayer, and as always, this special day gets the country talking about prayer again. (As if Tim Tebow hasn’t done enough!) I’m so thankful that we still acknowledge the National Day of Prayer. I’ve got several tips HERE for ways you can celebrate this day with your family and community.
Are you pro-prayer in school? What do you think about the prayer debate in this country? Are you a Christian teacher? I’d love to know how you are continuing to make an impact at your school, despite all the limitations and restrictions placed on you.
I am a Christian teacher and a mom.
As a mom, I would not want a teacher to influence my children to pursue a religion that is contrary to our family’s. So, I am careful to be religion-neutral as I influence other people’s children, unless I get specific information that they are also Christian.
Yes, we live in a free country. That means freedom for ALL religions, not just freedom to be Christian. If schools force non-Christian students to participate in Christian prayers, they are infringing on the non-Christian students’ freedom to be non-Christian.
The public school I teach in has a moment of silence each day. During this time, students have the freedom to pray silently according to their own religion or not pray at all.
I try to be a positive moral influence, and if students ask me personally (not in front of the class), my understanding is that I can tell them that I do go to church and I can explain why. I can’t address the entire class on these matters, but I can discuss individually with students if they initiate the conversation and if it does not disrupt teaching. I think that is pretty reasonable, considering the taxpayers are paying me to teach geometry, not religion.
I am pro prayer everywhere I am! I pray in my head, out loud etc. God is in every part of my life and even though I have been told it is frowned upon I have shared my faith at every job I have been at. I have even been asked by customers at jobs if I would pray for them. I always do and sometimes out loud. I have always thought that if I got fired over doing what comes naturally to me as a Christian that maybe I wasn’t in the job that God had for me. I have never been fired or even talked to even at a government job… I am now a stay at home mom by choice for my last 2 kids at home and I encourage them on the National Day of prayer and any other day of the year to pray and share with others. This is how I roll! I am ok with others disagreeing with this but this is who I am and Whose I am. I love your site ! It helps me spend what God gives me wisely
I personally pray silently over my students in my classroom. During the moment of silence, I pray for them daily. One thing I plan to do is lay hands on each chair in my classroom and pray for my students before school starts for the year. I wear a cross necklace, and I’ve been asked about it. I had a few 1st grade students who openly shared their thoughts on God this school year, and I listened and told them thank you for sharing, which I have to do for any student as long as they aren’t being belligerent or hateful about it. My students blessed my heart! One day, I was working with one of my students one-on-one, and she said that we were sisters. Because I was in a public school setting, I didn’t understand her meaning and said how’s that. She said that we were sisters because God is our Father, and Jesus is our brother. I almost cried, it made me so happy! I quietly told her that was true. A few minutes later, I heard her sharing those same thoughts with another student. One student had an assignment to write something about his Dad, and he chose to share that his dad was a Christian and he read the Bible daily. I may not be able to share about Christ myself, but my students do! Never underestimate the witness that a young child can be in a setting that does not welcome Christ!