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Separation Of Church and State |
Separation of church and state is an issue and a law. However, lately there have been complaints concerning the limits of this law. This law prohibits the state’s support of a church. State schools are not allowed to have teachers lead a common prayer in school classrooms. Public schools are not allowed to have religious services such as private schools do. Churches have fought to pray in public schools, but the state determined that it was not fair to those who do not believe in the same religion.
Lately, there have been conflicts about praying before sports events such as football games. Parents and teachers have been complaining about their children having to pray before their sports games. The complainers’ theory is that if their children are a different religion from the coach, then the children will be forced to pray against their wills. These parents are not too thrilled about the idea. However, the First Amendment does not prohibit individuals from praying.
The only problem is that the government doesn’t know when to allow prayer and when not to allow it.
At certain times, the law will stretch and allow a “moment of silence” during school. At our high school, we had a ‘silence’ time during fifth period because of the September 11 attacks. This time was spent however you chose to use it. Many children prayed, many thought of the attacks and many merely sat there. No matter how students chose to use their silence, it still gave time to reflect on the tragedies.
This silence time is allowed in the law. The law says no publicly led prayer in public schools. Silence time is not prayer. Many children who do pray had this time to pray in their mind for all the sadness. They could have prayed for hope and peace in the world. The children who have not prayed before could have thought back to the sadness and wished for a better world. Therefore, this time was used to remember the attacks, which fits the law, but it also reflects on the problems in the world.
Not everyone has the same religion and we should respect everyone’s different religions. The law bans making students pray a certain prayer with a certain religion. It’s not fair to those who do not belong to that certain religion. There, obviously, will be people who complain about it being unfair or unruly.
Separation of church and state is a fair law.