EDUCATIONALLY SPEAKING -- Gay Geiser-Sandoval

I received a very clever e-mail, which is touted as the New School

Prayer, in response to the Supreme Court’s ban on reciting the Lord’s

Prayer as a mandatory activity in public schools. The prayer is

supposedly from an unnamed Arizona student, so there was no way to track

its writer down. But Christian kids are spreading it far and wide by use

of the Internet.

I am thrilled that students are talking about the role of religion in

public schools. Unfortunately, much of the content of the prayer, as to

what is and isn’t allowed at public school, is incorrect. There is no

prohibition against praying in public schools or against carrying a

religious book to school. While my poetry isn’t as clever, I think it

would be beneficial to consider the reasons for the 1st Amendment, which

allows freedom of religion, and how that is interpreted in a public

school setting. The solution is offered below:

o7 While this new school prayer is cute with lots of sass,

If the author were in Con Law, he would fail the class.

It is not against the Constitution to pray at school,

You can do it out loud in the halls, and that’s cool.

What isn’t allowed, and is sometimes forgotten,

One single prayer for all is what’s verboten.

The reason for that is for some Christ is God;

But, for others Jesus is not the guiding rod.

You can read the Bible in school all that you want,

As long as you listen when geometry is launched.

Study of the Bible, Koran and Torah is allowed;

As long as it’s as literature, not a faith which must be followed.

f7 Morals and judgments are promoted every day at school.

o7 How often are you told to follow the basis of the Golden Rule?

Schools don’t want you cheating, stealing or such.

It’s not tied to one religion; it’s just as humans we mustn’t.

At some schools, the number of religions abounds;

Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus and Christians are found.

Some pray by using a snake, some speak in tongues,

Some Christian prayers just can’t be outdone.

So, should Mondays be all Muslim prayers?

And Tuesdays, pray like the Hindus there?

Whenever you suggest we all should pray your way,

Are you willing to do the same for them the next day?

Prayers can’t be mandated like our national song,

f7 But, you can pray to yourself, your way all day long.

o7 If you want to see how it would feel not to follow the school

prayer,

When the Pledge of Allegiance is said, don’t say it and watch everyone

stare.

In America, faith isn’t determined by majority rules.

Otherwise, at your school, the religious leader you follow might lose.

You might not be happy if the religion for your school said, “No way,

To young ladies in shorts or playing sports each day.”

While you may not agree with keeping religion out of public schools,

In America, you are allowed to voice your concerns about that issue

too.

(That’s in the 1st Amendment too)

Schools in America can require you to pray as a group in your faith

each day,

Go to a private religious school, and you, too, can have it that way.

So, if you want to pray as a group with those that believe like you,

f7 Pick a table at lunch with kids from your religion, and you can do

that too.

o7 It’s just not fair to make each student pray as a group like you

do,

Because, in America, that student can do his religious thing too.

f7

* GAY GEISER-SANDOVAL is a Costa Mesa resident. Her column runs

Tuesdays. She may be reached by e-mail at o7 GGSesq1@aol.comf7 .