Todd Starnes Controversy

Religion is one of the most controversial issues in society today. The concern of allowing prayer in schools is an on-going debate and has resulted in numerous lawsuits. Religious school clubs, after school activities, curriculums, and moments of silence during school are just a few of the court cases that judges have administered. People in favor of prayer in schools believe that their children can only learn certain values through religious practice. On the other hand, an individual against religious practice in schools views this issue as an infringement on his or her children’s rights as Americans.

Children may have to attend a school that is associated with their religion. It is always possible that this gives the child a different quality/balance of education. They may struggle to understand other people‘s religion or lifestyle choices. They may become confused or isolated and

Education plus God equals success. While this statement is true, the job of incorporating the truth about God into everything taught is becoming increasingly more difficult. Schultz charted public education’s view of reality, truth and value throughout the history of the United States to show how an unbiblical worldview has increasingly taken hold of society, the educational system and

The case of Wallace v. Jaffree calls into question the constitutionality of an Alabama statute that authorized teachers to lead a one-minute period of silence for “meditation or voluntary” prayer in all public schools. Ishmael Jaffree, the parent of three students in the Mobile County Public School system filed a complaint that two of his three children had been “subjected to various acts of religious indoctrination,” as a result of Alabama statute 16-1-20.1 and asked for an injunction prohibiting Mobile County schools from “maintaining or allowing the maintenance of regular religious prayer services.” The purpose of Jaffree’s complaint was to prohibit the devotional services occurring in his children’s school and the consequent mockery of his children that occurred when they refused to recite the prayers to “Almighty God” (Stevens, 40). This type of law in Alabama public schools was not the first of its kind. Prior to statute 6-11-20.1, Alabama passed law 16-1-20 authorizing one minute of silence in public schools for meditation. After the authorization of statute 16-1-20.1 came 16-1-20.2, which allowed teachers to lead “willing students” in a prayer (Stevens, 40).

Regarding the article, there’s aspects that make me both agree and disagree with his statement. I’ll touch on how education can interfere with religion, how education can bring you closer to your parents, and why your relationship with your parents is almost entirely in your control.

(Harrison, Maureen. Gilbert, Steve. Landmark Decisions of the United States Supreme Court II.) The public schools systems are not trying to offend anyone. They are trying to uphold the system of educating American students. The views of a few people should not influence the greater good of the Pledge of Allegiance. It has been recited for many years and for many years people have fought against it. People are not fighting against the statement “In God We Trust” that is imprinted on each and every coin in the United States. There is no need to change the Pledge it is there for Americans to recite to show their appreciation to a grateful nation and as a way of saluting the American Flag. Mudhillun Muqaribu wrote a letter to the editor of the New York Times titled God and the Pledge: My Brother’s Quest. Mudhillun writes that he is a Muslim who grew up in America. When he was younger, other students made it clear to him and his siblings that “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance did not apply to them. He says that he began sitting out of the Pledge in the sixth grade. The main point of his letter was to applaud Michael Newdow for upholding religious diversity in America. (Muqaribu, Mudhillun. Letter. New York Times). Mudhillun was not persecuted by anyone for his decision in sitting out in the Pledge; it was his decision and he was respected for that. Michael Newdow and the others who argue against “Under God” in the Pledge have the right

In cases having to do with constitutionality, the issue of the separation of church and state arises with marked frequency. This battle, which has raged since the nation?s founding, touches the very heart of the United States public, and pits two of the country's most important influences of public opinion against one another. Although some material containing religious content has found its way into many of the nation's public schools, its inclusion stems from its contextual and historical importance, which is heavily supported by material evidence and documentation. It often results from a teacher?s own decision, rather than from a decision handed down from above by a higher power. The proposal of the Dover Area School District to

The general argument made by Avi Selk in his work, “Texas AG sued to keep a Bible quote in school. Now he’s troubled by Muslim prayers.”, is that religious freedom is a constitutional right that should be up help in public schools for anyone who wishes to use it. More specifically, Selk argues that Liberty High School in Frisco, Texas should be able to accommodate for students who want to pray of any religion in an empty, spare room in the school. He writes, “‘All sorts of folks use it,’ school district spokesman Chris Moore told The Washington Post on Saturday. ‘Muslims pray, Baptists pray, Catholics pray, Buddhists pray, Hindu students pray.’” (Selk, 2017). In this passage, Selk is showing how the spokesman for the school stands behind, and

For centuries, the debate has existed whether or not to allow prayer in public schools. Many Americans feel it is not right of the schools to teach religion. With all the diversity associated with the United States, public schools cannot select one standard religion to practice, due to the cultural and religious differences in the country. Not only are schools the storm center of controversy involving religious differences, they are the principal institution charged with transmitting the identity and mission of the United States from one generation to the next. If we fail in our school policies and classrooms to model and to teach how to live with differences, we endanger our experiment in religious liberty and our

Teaching prayer in schools has been a controversial topic since Abington Township School District v. Schempp (1963) that removed prayer from the classroom. However, a Bible-literacy course at New Braunfels High School (NBHS) in Texas exemplifies the successful teaching of the religion without imposing it on the students. This is an ideal that would satisfy both conservative Christians and secular liberals. The consensus that David Van Biema comes to in his article “The Case for Teaching the Bible” is that schools should teach the Bible from a neutral perspective that allows students to understand the concepts behind the text’s arguments while observing and forming their own beliefs and opinions.

website—criticizes a teacher who demanded that her students stop using religious words in the classroom. Starnes moreover urges his readers to stand up for their Constitutional rights.

“This is an attempt to politicize the curriculum and promote an agenda over the education of nearly 5 million Texas kids," Quinn argues, implying that the students in Texas are somewhat being forced to learn religion, regardless if they are comfortable or not. An unknown author from a Mibba article entitled “Should Religion Be Taught in Schools?” agrees with the idea that religion should not be taught in the public school systems, as problems arise such as parent involvement, offended ideas/beliefs, and even confusion in the students that have separate beliefs or taught differently through churches and religious practices:

“Freedom of religion includes both the right to manifest beliefs and practices and the right to be free from state coercion or constraint in matters of religion ().” One of the most controversial places in which freedom of religion manifests itself is the public school. In order to protect freedom of religion, it is important to make sense of how a school must treat religion so the school does not compromise its role within society. This paper will establish current rulings on religion in public school and then explore what a religious accommodation is, why it may be necessary, and finally how it will take shape within the public school system by using a multitude of examples. This paper argues that religious accommodations for students in public schools are necessary to ensure freedom of religion. However, in order to guarantee that religious accommodation is enforceable and discernable, it argues for a two-pronged evaluation of each scenario in order to determine the viability of the proposed religious accommodation. Firstly, the accommodation must not infringe on the education of the other students not included in the accommodation by taking away their rights and the accommodation must not exempt a student from the education provided by the school. By applying this two-way evaluation system to given examples it will be concluded that religious freedom must absolutely be protected by way of certain religious accommodations provided that the school is not undermined by such

The subject of religion in public schools is one that has been debated vigorously and passionately. The warriors from the Right and Left fail to appreciate the facts because they are caught up in the rhetoric and have difficulty viewing this emotional topic dispassionately (Haynes, 2011). Both sides are right about one thing: this is an important subject.

One of the avenues of influential learning is in school. The place where students spend half of their life. Going to school aids students in acquiring knowledge, establishing rapport and developing skills. When students attend school, they showcase not only their characters traits and attitudes, but they also carry with them their cultural differences and religious practices. (Green & Oldendorf, 2005). Looking at how diverse our society is, the question of teaching religions and their ideologies at a school-level rise. Whilst the state practices neutrality towards religion, there are still issues and challenges when it comes to accommodating religious diversity and its integration in the education system (Berger, 2013, p.104). Therefore, integrating religion in the education system can lead to