Posted by
Mike on Friday, December 05, 2008 10:32:34 AM
As there are some misunderstandings, let me clarify why prayer in public schools matters.
Prior to 1963, at the discretion of local school boards, a prayer approved by the local governing board was recited in the classroom every school day during school hours. Students could for whatever reason opt out.
This gives God His due because the principle of subsidiarity gives broad discretion to local governments to act in loco parentis for the parents who are not present during school hours. Under this principle, the parents have ultimate authority, with ascending levels of government only allowed to act with regard to matters that cannot be managed by lower levels of government. In this case, the classroom teacher has the primary responsibility after the parents, followed by the school principal and then the local school board. Higher levels of government, whether at the state or federal levels, have no business intervening with regard to a matter such as school prayer which can be handled at the local level.
To take away the right of parents to allow their children to pray together during the school day is tyranny. Man is saying in effect that he is superior to the Creator of the Universe. Of course, no school official has the right to compel anyone to pray. The government cannot compel prayer in schools because this would be antithetical to the free will of children.
For the higher levels of government to usurp parental authority by overriding the decisions of local school boards is an abomination and a national disgrace.