Prayer in Public Schools
During the past year, the United States watched a heated legal andemotional public debate concerning the removal of a 'Ten Commandments'monument on display at an Alabama courthouse (Niemeyer Pp). Recently, theNational Assembly of France, in a 494 to 36 vote, approved banningheadscarves worn by fundamentalist Muslims, yamulkas by Orthodox Jews, andcrosses by Christians in public schools (Niemeyer Pp). Although, theUnited States is still debating the 1962 Engel v. Vitale decision banningorganized school prayer, it is difficult to imagine that Congress or theSupreme Court would ever ban religious images in public schools (NiemeyerPp). However, for decades, many religious leaders have believed that nogreater harm can come to religion than when placed in the states' hands At issue in Engel v. Vitale was "whether a non-denominational prayer,
Moreover, they may bringtheir scriptures to school, share their beliefs with classmates or formreligious clubs in secondary schools (Haynes Pp). I cannot see how an "official religion" is established by letting those who want to say a prayer say it. More than forty years after Engel v. On the contrary, I think that to deny the wish of these school children to join in reciting this prayer is to deny them the opportunity of sharing in the spiritual heritage of our Nation" (Engel Pp). Moreover, the "non-denominational prayer was found to be too religious forthestate to mandate and was in violation of the establishment clause of theFirstAmendment" (Engel Pp). Vitale, the issue of prayer inpublic schools remains a highly controversial issue. Many parentsbelievedthat the NYS Regents-composed prayer violated the First Amendment'sseparation of church and state, while the New York Board of Education ofNewHyde Park contended that it was a non-denominational prayer and that theschools did not compel any student to recite it (Engel Pp). n a school district, violated the FirstAmendment'sprovision for separation of church and state" (Engel Pp). Under legal guidelines issued inthe last two administrations, students have a First Amendment right to prayin groups or alone as long as it does not disrupt the school or interferewith the right of other students (Haynes Pp). For the state courts have made clear that those who object to reciting the prayer must be entirely free of any compulsion to do so, including any 'embarrassments and pressures'. According to a 1995Gallop Poll, more than 70 percent of respondents said they wanted some kindof spoken prayer in schools, while 24 percent chose silent prayer (AllenPp).
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Acceptance Essays
