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Not only is this true, but the prayer these children were told to pray had them converting to Islam. It was a prayer of profession of faith. And if they didn't do it they got an "F". Where was our religious freedom rights in this situation?

This is an isolated incident, not indicative of the larger situation in the United States. You may as well ask where religious freedoms were at the Air Force Academy in Colorado when non-Christians were pressured by Evangelical Christians to attend religious services and forced to pray during official functions, or called Christ killers or told the Holocaust was revenge for the death of Jesus. (source here)

Oh wait, I suppose it's okay for Christians to proselytize but not for Muslims to do it, right? At any rate, isolated incidents do not paint a complete picture. I don't know the whole story behind the school in California (since no one seems to have bothered providing a source), but my guess is that the teacher(s) there were very much out of line in forcing students to accept a religion, whether it be Islam or Christianity.

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That's not right. None of that's right. Why do they get special treatment? What ever happened to equality?

I get the feeling you don't quite understand the nuances of Islam. Do Christians need a special time to pray? Do Buddhists? Atheists don't even need to pray at all. Islam requires a rather obvious form of prayer five times a day. Adherents must get to their knees, face Mecca, and pray. Unless you'd rather they interrupt class or work to do this, a separate, private room is pretty much necessary to avoid causing interruptions with non-Muslims. On the other hand, Christians don't need to do that in order to pray. They can do it silently or aloud, hands clasped in their lap or waving in the air. There is no one way to pray in Christianity, but I do know there is no need to have a special room in order to pray to God.

When a religion has unique needs, special treatment must be given. Asking that same special treatment for religions without the same needs is like wanting male tampons to be sold in stores. You don't need it, so why do you want it?

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This will be pushed aside by adults who think that it's not that big of a deal, but as usual, it's the things that aren't "that big of a deal" that come back in a huge way and bite everyone in America in the butt.

This isn't a big deal. It has never been a big deal. Christianity has always been on top, forcing the collective hands of adherents of other religions. Only recently have other religions began to gain the respect they deserve, which, as seen here, has led to people complaining that the country is degenerating. Note: it's not. Times change. Progress happens. Christians do not lack religious freedom; they are merely moving over to let other religions have that freedom.

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Has anyone ever asked and argued a case for being allowed a room set aside/use of an empty classroom at a certain time to pray?

At a school in my city, a Jewish girl was going to miss a test because she would be absent for Rosh Hashanah. The teacher wasn't going to let her make it up, because it wasn't an "acceptable reason" for absence, but she argued her case and got to make up the test. I know it's not the same as a prayer room, but it's sort of along the same lines.

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As Americans we need to tell our state officials that if we can't all have the same praying rights and availability of buildings and time as the Muslims then no one gets that right. Fair is fair.

Has anyone ever asked and argued a case for being allowed a room set aside/use of an empty classroom at a certain time to pray?

If not, then how do we know anyone can't be granted it?

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Also there was the incident in California where the kids had to take a class on Islam and one of the required activities was praying to Allah.

Not only is this true, but the prayer these children were told to pray had them converting to Islam. It was a prayer of profession of faith. And if they didn't do it they got an "F". Where was our religious freedom rights in this situation?

Presently, in our schools there are prayer rooms being built or set aside for Muslims to pray during class time and they don't have to make up classwork they missed during their prayer time. Special washrooms are being built or set aside for Muslims, too. That's not right. None of that's right. Why do they get special treatment? What ever happened to equality? If Muslims get to skip out on class for prayer why can't Budhists, Mormans, Catholics, Protistants, Christians, Moravians, and yes even Aethists? Freedom of religion is for everyone, not just a select few.

Our country is in serious trouble. This will be pushed aside by adults who think that it's not that big of a deal, but as usual, it's the things that aren't "that big of a deal" that come back in a huge way and bite everyone in America in the butt. As Americans we need to tell our state officials that if we can't all have the same praying rights and availability of buildings and time as the Muslims then no one gets that right. Fair is fair.

I think that people should be allowed to pray in school as long it doesn't disturb others.

I don't understand what you're asking.
Prayer in school? As in kneel-and-ask-whoever-for-forgiveness type of prayer?
I think not.

...I need a reason?

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Originally posted by clpo13:
Where did everyone get the idea that they can't pray in school? I mean, seriously.

That's So true!!

Um ya!!! what can praying do to them, we can pray in our heads!! I'd be histarically mad if they banned praying in school... actually you wouldn't even need to follow it, because nobody would kno if you were praying if you were praying in your head??? DUH.

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Originally posted by ampmaster:
aslong as there are tests there will be prayer in school

Well, I'll agree with you there. That's why we have to start with the tests! LOL, jk.

Prayer will be in schools, and there will be student led religious groups at school. As much as I would like to eventually see religion free campuses with reason taking the place of faith and logical thinking taking the place of prayer, I do not predict it will occur anytime soon. Prayer in school has not been and never will be outlawed, you fundamentalist crybabies. To be honest, I hope prayer is never outlawed, but actually, that people will come to their senses and realize how illogical they are being.

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P.P.S. Listen to LTR.

Occasionally I do know what I am talking about...

Where did everyone get the idea that they can't pray in school? I mean, seriously.

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Send your thanks to the American Atheists for canning prayer in school in the first place.

Dear American Atheists,

THANK YOU!

Love, Ikki


P.s. Pray if you want. No one's stopping you.

P.P.S. Listen to LTR.

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I hope one day, we will be able to have daily prayer in public schools again.

You can pray every day in a public school if you want. As long as it's not mandatory and not disruptive it's perfectly legal.

I am Christian and I do think that there should be prayer in schools. But I don't think everybody short of satanists can pray at school would fly very well here in the liberal nation of America. If you are going to exclude a legitimate religion from praying at school then, why not just say only those who believe in the God that you believe in.
I think if we ever get to allow prayer in school in on a regular basis, we are going to have to compromise and let everyone pray. Send your thanks to the American Atheists for canning prayer in school in the first place.
I hope one day, we will be able to have daily prayer in public schools again.

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am doing a report for school about prayingtrying to change so if u get any updates about the prayer in school please help my myspace is url is /bvarn51

For some reason I can’t get get to your myspace, so I will post some information here and hope that you receive it.

There was a very interesting incident just recently.

On April 5, 2007, a school in New Jersey held an anti terror exercise. What was unusual about this exercise was the description of the terrorists. the description of the group was that of a right wing religious fundamentalist group that was upset that their daughter was kicked out of school for praying and then came to the school the enact their vengeance. This quickly drew many questions about why they had created this scenario and why it was insinuating that praying in school is such a serious thing that it could get you kicked out of school and spark a school shooting.

Here is a link to the story.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,264327,00.html

Also there was the incident in California where the kids had to take a class on Islam and one of the required activities was praying to Allah.

Here’s a link to that story as well.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_6_18/ai_83144710

Good luck with your paper.

i am doing a report for school about prayingtrying to change so if u get any updates about the prayer in school please help my myspace is url is /bvarn51

I don't understand why it's an issue, either. I don't know about any school where prayer is forbidden, unless it's overly disruptive.

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You go to church to effing pray why do you need to do it EVERYWHERE???

Maybe people want to pray for help in their classes, or for personal reasons. And I can assure you that there is much prayer at a school after tragedies like the Virginia Tech shootings.

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Prayer is allowed in school. If you want to pray you can as long as it is not disruptive. HOWEVER, a teacher or official cannot LEAD a prayer nor can prayer be mandatory.

Exactly so why is this a constant issue? This should be very clear but it seams to be constantly fuzzy. All schools need to get their policies in line.

prayer should be a part of our daily lives.it is a way of communicating to God.
School is an institution for our kids or adults alike to develop personality or faith.
freedom of religion means freedom to pray. but sometimes prayer must be done in the right place and at the right time coz not all the time our prayers will be heard if the settings are not right.

Yeah, because if you out law religion just because of some crazy shet some people do for it then well all religion would be banned.