Life as I Know It; Family; Lifestyle; and Healthy Living!
This is an Email I received today. I wanted to share it because it's pretty relevant to what's being said now. I don't if it's really written by a child or not, or who wrote it. I'm posting the way I received it. I just think the words give a lot of food for thought. What say you?


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"Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore because the word "God" is mentioned....a kid in Arizona wrote the attached NEW School prayer.



Now I sit me down in school


Where praying is against the rule


For this great nation under God


Finds mention of Him very odd.



If Scripture now the class recites,


It violates the Bill of Rights.


And anytime my head I bow


Becomes a Federal matter now.



Our hair can be purple, orange or green,


That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.


The law is specific, the law is precise.


Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.



For praying in a public hall


Might offend someone with no faith at all.


In silence alone we must meditate,


God's name is prohibited by the state.



We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,


And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.


They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.


To quote the Good Book makes me liable.




We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,


And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.


It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,


We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.




We can get our condoms and birth controls,


Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.


But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,


No word of God must reach this crowd.




It's scary here I must confess,


When chaos reigns the school's a mess.


So, Lord, this silent plea I make:


Should I be shot; My soul please take!


Amen

"

Comments
on Sep 16, 2005
"Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore because the word "God" is mentioned


There seems to be an awful lot of confusion about what is allowed and what isn't allowed. Children, of their own accord, are still within their rights to pray in school--they just can't be directed to pray by teachers.

I appreciate the intent of the poem, though I find it wrought with inaccuracies.

But more importantly, I don't agree with the message. I think our religious education should be taught by our religious leaders and not our school teachers. If you really want your child to go to a school where they say the Lord's Prayer, send them to a religious school.

Again, I think this whole argument is hypocritical--where are all the parents who were up in arms about the "gay agenda" and "tolerance" being taught to their kids? Why was religious education in the sole domain of the parents then?
on Sep 16, 2005
Foreverserenity: Amen!

Shadesofgray:

From a purely legal standpoint, you are right. Even the ACLU website makes it clear that they have no quarrel with students praying silently or reading scriptures during school time or on school grounds as long as it is not run by any school official or interferes with classtime.

However, the laws and the ACLU are both used to justify school rules and "zero tolerance" policies that not only prevent students and teachers from exercising their rights, but are downright discriminatory. Kids are sent home if they wear religious themed T-Shirts, they are prevented from holding scripture study groups during lunchtime, teachers are threatened with their jobs for saying "God Bless YOu" after a student sneezes.

Just as no teacher, administrator or student should punish or harrass a student for choosing not to say "under God", or even reciting the pledge at all, no student should be made to feel like their private respect for their deity is breaking the rules or the law.

"Tolerance" apparently is something that conservatives need to show towards others. I can think of a lot of ways that liberals fail to uphold their ideals also.
on Sep 16, 2005
There seems to be an awful lot of confusion about what is allowed and what isn't allowed. Children, of their own accord, are still within their rights to pray in school--they just can't be directed to pray by teachers.


Yeah...and be harrassed? Right.
on Sep 19, 2005
There seems to be an awful lot of confusion about what is allowed and what isn't allowed. Children, of their own accord, are still within their rights to pray in school--they just can't be directed to pray by teachers.


It is confusing. A child can pray yes, but probably won't because he/she 'll be afraid of what others think.




If you really want your child to go to a school where they say the Lord's Prayer, send them to a religious school


Unless they want to be in the priesthood or a nun that would be unecessary. If they want to pray will they truly be allowed to or just be sent home for disobeying the rules? Many schools give lip service to this. They contradict themselves each time.







Foreverserenity: Amen!


Glad you appreciate it Ted!



However, the laws and the ACLU are both used to justify school rules and "zero tolerance" policies that not only prevent students and teachers from exercising their rights, but are downright discriminatory. Kids are sent home if they wear religious themed T-Shirts, they are prevented from holding scripture study groups during lunchtime, teachers are threatened with their jobs for saying "God Bless YOu" after a student sneezes.



Yeah...and be harrassed?




Exactly what I'm talking about. The contradictions are endless!