Here is an email that a fundie sent me regarding prayer in school with my reply at the end...
Subject: Teacher Applicant
After being interviewed by the school
administration, the teaching prospect
said, "Let me see if I've got this right:
You want me to go into that room with all those
kids, correct their
disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of
abuse, monitor their dress
habits, censor their T-shirt messages, and instill
in them a love for
learning.
You want me to check their backpacks for
weapons, wage war on drugs and
sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their
sense of self esteem and
personal pride.
You want me to teach them patriotism and good
citizenship, sportsmanship and
fair play, and how to register to vote, balance a
checkbook, and apply for a
job.
You want me to check their heads for lice,
recognize signs of antisocial
behavior, and make sure that they all pass the
state exams.
You want me to provide them with an equal
education regardless of their
handicaps, and communicate regularly with their
parents by letter,
telephone, newsletter, and report card.
You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk,
a blackboard, a bulletin
board, a few books, a big smile, and a starting
salary that qualifies me
for food stamps.
You want me to do all this and then you tell
me........"I CAN'T PRAY?"
Here was my reply:
There is nothing stopping them from praying, only leading an organized
prayer.
Let me ask, if there were organized prayer in public school, who would
decide what that prayer would be?
Lutheran, Baptist, Christian, Presbyterian, Catholic, Jewish, Islam, Hindu,
or Budest? The problem with a nation that does not discriminate against
religion is that it also must be careful not to force a single religion upon
those who do not wish to participate in that or any religion.
The story had me up to that line. I believe in prayer, I just can't force
anyone else to to do it.