Prayer in School

Shantil White

 In 1962, the US Supreme Court first addressed the prayer in school and found it unconstitutional . There are so many different opinions as to why prayer should or shouldn’t be school. Since the 1960s there seem to be very strict rules when it comes to religion talk, beliefs, and prayer in the classroom. This research project is a literature review of published studies on the challenges to allowing prayer in school. These studies show the reasons for the controversy, but also the ongoing desire of many people to include more spirituality in school. One solution for public schools is a return to the moment of silence in the morning for the kids and teachers. This would give them time to pray if they want to or close their eyes just to sit and think. Since school is already an intense experience for students, this time to reflect can be valuable for all. For students of faith, it allows them to feel like their personal beliefs can continue to play a role in their learning.

• Shantil White is a graduating senior Interdisciplinary Studies major with a background in early childhood education.