Essay --

The Constitution permits much private religious activity in and about the public schools. Unfortunately, this aspect of constitutional law is not as well-known asui1 it should be. Some say that the Supreme Court has declared the public schools "religion-free zones" or that the law is so murky that school officials cannot know what is legally permissible. The former claim is simply wrong. And as to the latter, while there are some difficult issues, much has been settled. It is also unfortunately true that public school may not be as fully aware of this body of law as they could be. Many of the organizations are actively involved in litigation about religion in the schools. On some of the issues discussed in this essay some of the organizations have urged the courts to reach positions different than they did. Though there are signatories on both sides which have and will press for different constitutional treatments of some of the topics discussed, they all agree that the following is an accurate statement of what the law currently is. â€Å"Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the Establishment Clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, pray before tests, and discuss religion with other willing student listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities (e.g., students may not decide to pray just as a teacher calls on them). In informal settings, such as the cafeteria or in the halls, students may pray either audibly or silently, subj... ... the U.S. Constitution First Amendment religious liberty clauses protect private religious expression but prohibit government action to advance, coerce, or endorse religion in the public schools. The religious liberty clauses apply both to the actions of the school district and the employees of the school district. Me personally I’m atheist. Religion doesn’t bother me unless someone is forcing it to me. Being here at Wunsche High School we have a Christian Club, and last year I heard someone was trying to start a LGBT club, and the Christian club said that god didn’t like gays or others of that sexual preference. Everything now and days offends someone based on something they believe in, they are, or how they were raised. Religion is going to be a problem for as long as it is around. Until that day there isn’t much we can do about the problems that will come from it.