Prayer in Schools

I have heard many different comments about how we "need prayer in schools." I am going to disagree with that statement. I am sure that may come as a shock to some and nowhere near a surprise to others. I am equally sure there are plenty who have no opinion on this topic and could care less. That's ok, too. You don't have to read on ;)

Why do I disagree with prayer in schools? Well, for one thing, I think it should be taken care of at home. If you want your child to be praying in school, teach that child to pray at home. Train up a child in the way he should go and he will never depart from it. Train up means from infancy...not from Kindergarten on.

In my job, I am expected to fill MANY roles. I am an advisor, a nurse, a counselor, a teacher, and occasionally, a warden...just to name a few. I have heard it said, by parents, that when their child is in school, it is the teacher's job to teach the child EVERYTHING. By EVERYTHING, I mean the subjects in school, manners, responsibility, organization, and a host of other things. I honestly feel sometimes that some parents can't wait for their child to turn 5 so they can have free babysitting.

Not only do they expect us to do this, we teachers have many, many people saying that we aren't doing our jobs. We get requests from parents wanting US to explain why the child did poorly on a paper or failed a test. We are asked to monitor a child's health problems, eating habits, allergies, and behavior disorders. On top of this, you are asking me to be their spiritual leader, as well?

I can do that. I would gladly do that. However, it isn't right for me to do that. It's not my job to do that. It's YOURS, the parent. What happens when you ask me to lead prayer in school and I don't pray the way you expect me to? I already get the emails and phone calls about why I don't teach the way you were taught. I get the emails about why your child doesn't bring home a text book every night. Are you reading the Bible to your child every night?

If we allowed prayer back into schools, whose job would it be to monitor who was praying and who was not? We have freedom OF religion. That means that the different denominations and religions are all allowed to worship in individual ways. It means that I CAN NOT, by law, impose MY way of praying on anybody else. So, I say again, want prayer in schools? Don't drop your kid off at Sunday School on Sunday and Wednesday night youth group and expect everything to be ok. Want prayer in schools? Teach your child to pray. The rest will follow...