Alexandria HS stops morning prayers after student complains

[The Straight Story]

Alexandria HS stops morning prayers after student complains

ALEXANDRIA (Alabama) — The Christian influence at Alexandria High School is visible, but as of this week it’s a little less overt.

There, brightly colored flyers printed with Bible verses hang on the walls, weekly Bible studies are held before class begins and, until recently, prayers were spoken over the school’s intercom system. But that regular practice stopped this week when a student questioned the legality of the practice.

“Every day in the morning we would have student-led prayer over the PA system and I looked this up. It’s illegal,” the student said. “It wasn’t just me; there were a bunch of other students who wanted it stopped.”

He said he demanded it stop in a voicemail sent to Superintendent Judy Stiefel. He also contacted the American Civil Liberties Union by e-mail and by hand-written letter to complain about the issue.

The student requested he not be named in this story because he expected his classmates would not react well to his actions.

http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/6753350/article-Alexandria-HS-stops-morning-prayers-after-student-complains?

[bluestateguy]

1. I have friends who went to public high school in the South in the 1970's and 1980's

This would be well after the school prayer Supreme Court decisions in 1962-63.

Many of them told me that official school prayers and official school religious exercises took place in their schools anyway.

[Walk away]

2. None of that Mumbo Jumbo in Bergen County.

I can't even imagine Teaneck High School making people pray to some god every morning. You have to be amazed that there was a kid brave enough to call it illegal. He is obviously a cut above the rest.

[LiberalEsto]

4. I went to school in Wayne, NJ

and we had plenty of bible-reading and prayer during opening exercises back in the 1960s. They eventually switched to a moment of silence and were still doing it, last I checked in the late 1980s.

[Walk away]

5. Wayne isn't in Bergen County.

I think anyone in N.J. would admit there is a big difference between Tenafly, Englewood, Ridgewood and Teaneck in Bergen and Wayne.

I attended classes in these schools on the seventies and there were no moments of silence and especially no prayers or mention of god outside of Mythology class.

[prolesunited]

3. Why are there Bible verses hanging up all over?

Does the Torah or the Koran get equal billing? What about Buddhist texts?

[teenagebambam]

6. My fourth grade teacher

made us stand and say the Lord's prayer every morning. 1976 in Columbus Ohio.

[LeftyMom]

7. That's not even fair to all Christians.

Catholics have a different version of the same prayer and don't even call it by the same name. The Catholic version is known as the Our Father and omits the doxology at the end.

[The Straight Story]

8. I went to school the same time here in Columbus (East Side) back in 76

Still remember the 77 blizzard :)