Word: prays
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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After the morning Pledge of Allegiance, a third-grade teacher in Watertown, Mass., asks whether anyone wants to pray. "Not in school," responds one pupil. "I'd feel embarrassed to share a prayer, if I knew one," says another. But eventually eight-year-old Brendan volunteers. Then the teacher carefully asks whether anyone would like to be excused during the prayer, and the class responds with a chorus of "Naw." Finally, all alone, Brendan whispers a memorized prayer, beseeching the angels to watch over him while he sleeps...
...Massachusetts law that went into effect in February, requiring teachers to invite students to say prayers if they wanted to. Last week the state's highest court declared the law unconstitutional. During its brief life, students seemed confused or embarrassed, and results were mixed. A Plymouth sixth-grader prayed for release of the hostages in Iran. A Scituate pupil prayed for a volleyball victory. A Jewish girl said she could not lead because "all our prayers are in Hebrew, and I don't know Hebrew." Most children chose the Lord's Prayer, an occasional Hail Mary...
...conceived by Paul Pierce, a Watertown Baptist minister. Says he: "My intent was to allow prayer in the public school, but not force it on anyone who does not want to pray." The law passed the Massachusetts legislature by a wide margin and had popular support. But many state religious leaders were against it. Some critics saw it as another example of parents foisting off on schools what they should be doing at home...
...just have to pray...
...prayer, written by Thomas Jefferson, concluded with, "In Jesus Christ our Lord we pray, Amen...