Students suspended for praying

[Wingwalker]

I had a similar situation happen when I was in highschool. My friend and I started to sit down in a quiet hall during our lunch hour with TWO other students who were reading their Bibles silently. (Mind you the hall was silent since there were classes going on as they had their lunch the hour before). After a month, four students grew to 15, and silent reading turned to quiet discussions. But when you are discussing with 14 other students, the quiet somehow doesnt stay quiet. Three of our group got called into the principals office. We wanted to argue, not realizing that our noise had started to carry into the classrooms. We were never told to stop, we were told to move to where we would not be disrupting classes. Once we realized that we were not being attacked for reading and discussing our Bibles, we wrote apologies to the classes we had disturbed and moved our group to ouside since the weather had warmed up.

Children are still allowed to pray and even read their Bibles in public school. However, they are not to be disruptive or interfere with other children trying to learn or pass through a hall or commons area.

If we want respect, should not we show respect in the way we would like to be respected?

[sierra21]

Mathew 6:4-8

4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.

6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Yes I was thinking of this scripture as well biblicist...

[Emily~Anne]

I know I am the one who started this thread but it is hard for me to give my opinion when I have mixed up feelings. I hate to come across as critical of praying, but yet there is the point that such a large prayer circle would likely get in the way. Also, by being difficult and refusing to accept the more suitable spot for praying, are they really portraying Christians in a good light? What was the problem with using the designated room? If the issue was the school officials wanted them to keep their religion secret and to themselves, then yes I think it was wrong to expect them to go in another room. But that doesn't seem to be the issue, of course though if that is the issue I doubt the school authorities would outright say so. I would be very offended if the school authorities said they made the students move because they found the praying offensive. No way of knowing what the case actually is, so, mixed feelings here. The fact that they banned school prayer from classrooms, makes me suspicious as to what the school's true motive is in this.

Biblicist, I wonder if that scripture applies as well to groups praying? Maybe it was the students hope by praying openly to have more students join them?

[sierra21]

I know I am the one who started this thread but it is hard for me to give my opinion when I have mixed up feelings. I hate to come across as critical of praying, but yet there is the point that such a large prayer circle would likely get in the way. Also, by being difficult and refusing to accept the more suitable spot for praying, are they really portraying Christians in a good light? What was the problem with using the designated room? If the issue was the school officials wanted them to keep their religion secret and to themselves, then yes I think it was wrong to expect them to go in another room. But that doesn't seem to be the issue, of course though if that is the issue I doubt the school authorities would outright say so. I would be very offended if the school authorities said they made the students move because they found the praying offensive. No way of knowing what the case actually is, so, mixed feelings here. The fact that they banned school prayer from classrooms, makes me suspicious as to what the school's true motive is in this.

Biblicist, I wonder if that scripture applies as well to groups praying? Maybe it was the students hope by praying openly to have more students join them?

i think what probably happened is the media took a hold of this and went flying.

I don't think the scripture cited above means you can't pray as a group, just that you shouldn't do it with intent to make everyone take notice, or to show off-- that kind of thing.

If this particular group of students wanted to encourage others to join their prayer circle they could have just asked them, or maybe put up some posters, even run an ad in their school newspaper.

At my university campus crusade for Christ has flyers up everywhere, so you can't really not notice the fact that theyre inviting you to join them. Of course if they started praying in the middle of the halls it would be kind of silly because in between classes the halls are crowded and things can get very chaotic. I think that was probably the issue that the school had in this instance.

Nothing for us to raise our eyebrows over methinks.

[Emily~Anne]

Now making flyers and posters to attract other students to the prayer group is an excellent idea! That is a better way to go, and frankly, some of the newer members may be too shy to join and pray out in the open in a commons area like that.

[sierra21]

and frankly, some of the newer members may be too shy to join and pray out in the open in a commons area like that.

Yep very true.

[Tubal-Cain]

berribear, I commend the action of you and your friends for being so respectful.

[peaches]

At my university campus crusade for Christ has flyers up everywhere, so you can't really not notice the fact that theyre inviting you to join them.

the university i went to in first year had a campus for Christ (they changed the name now, took out the "crusade") and we used to do the same thing! the entire univesity would be pinked with posters!

we would also go to the streets and advertise on sidewalks using chalk whatever event would be coming up. The university was right in the middle of downtown toronto so more people to reach! it was so much fun

[Wingwalker]

berribear, I commend the action of you and your friends for being so respectful.

TY

But I do realize that when the students want to pray, they need to not be like the Pharisees. If they sign up as a club and obtain a classroom to use before class starts would be a good idea.

Of course, when I went to a Bible college, there was a prayer closet in all the dorms.

Though I do not endorse public schools to create prayer rooms for their students, but students should be able to find a quiet place to pray if they feel that praying at home before arriving at school just will not do.

[apothanein kerdos]

"Discipline was leveled last week after students ignored repeated orders to move their prayer circle from the busy student commons in the Heritage core, said Assistant Superintendent Bill Bentley.

A few other students had complained, and the days-old group had become a physical obstacle and a disruption, he said.

"

That's all I needed to see.

Regardless of if their method was theologically correct or not (I don't think they did it in the right way), constitutionally they should be allowed to do it. A school commons ground is a place where students can gather to talk, share the days latest gossip, or anything else. If they were "in the way," then all other students who are not praying must be moved as well for they might be in the way. The fact is, according to the Constitution, these students should be able to meet there so long as other students are allowed to meet there.