removed a hand-lettered sign identifying
a room as the "Muslim Student Prayer Room"
after a school employee contacted the Tribune questioning the
constitutionality of setting up what looked like a mosque.
Posted on 10/25/2001 12:41:04 PM PDT by rface
According to the employee, who asked not to be named, inside the room there was also a sign asking visitors to "remove shoes when entering the mosque."
"The sign is not a good idea," Principal Bruce Brotzman said Tuesday. "It sounds like we set up a mosque in our school or" if it were "for Christians, a sanctuary. We are not going to do that. But to make space available to accommodate kids, that is something ... we want to do."
Practicing Muslims pray five times a day during specified windows of time. At least one of those times falls during the school day. Brotzman said that each year, students look for space for the daytime prayer. This year he offered them a small basement room after an elementary school’s gifted-education program moved out. The room has no window and is not identified with a room number.
"The most important thing is to find a place that is clean and quiet," said senior Rehab El-Buri. Last year students used the Performing Arts Center but would periodically find it occupied by a class or locked. She estimated about 30 students use the room from time to time, though on days when they have cars they might drive to the mosque downtown instead.
Rehab said Muslim students weren’t upset to see the signs go down. They were posted by a student whose family immigrated here two months ago and who is suffering from culture shock, she said.
"I know they didn’t open this room just for Muslim students. We may have the greatest need, but this is by no means a mosque," Rehab said. "I think the room should be open to Christians or Buddhists who want to pray."
Steve Benen, spokesman for the Washington-based group Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said the question of how far schools must go to accommodate daytime prayer by students has not been settled legally.
"The policy most schools take is one of accommodation, which seems to work for everyone involved," he said. "The caveat is that it must not be disruptive. … Rooms being set aside for exclusively religious use, that would be legally problematic."
Earlier this year, Americans United wrote letters of opposition to a Kentucky high school that allowed an outside person to renovate a classroom into a chapel, complete with pews carved with crosses, a pulpit and a copy of the Lord’s Prayer posted. The school set up the room for students who wanted to come voluntarily.
After communication with Americans United, the Kentucky school converted its chapel into a different school use.
Brotzman said Assistant Principal Kathy Ritter has explained to Muslim students that the room is not exclusively "theirs."
Brotzman said Christian students haven’t asked to use a school room during the day, though requests to use space before and after school aren’t uncommon. A flier posted on school bulletin boards advertised a meeting yesterday of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the school commons. The meeting was to include songs and worship.
Rehab said her years at Rock Bridge have been the best of her life in terms of helping her feel comfortable expressing who she is. In middle school, she was "too much of a conformist" to break away to pray during the day. In junior high she gained confidence, but administrators didn’t help students find a room to use.
"When new Muslim families come to Columbia, I always recommend their kids go to Rock Bridge because they have been so overwhelmingly cooperative with us and so understanding," she said.
My first thought is why not let them go outside to do it?
Schools Harass Christians, Coddle Other FaithsSource: FrontPageMagazine.com
Published: June 21, 2001
Author: Dr. David A. Yeagley
Posted on 06/24/2001 13:54:50 PDT by dvanIN NEW YORK CITY, Muslims can pray in public schools. Christians can’t. Muslims can assemble in school auditoriums, during school hours, and pray. Christians cannot.
So says the New York Post, in a Dec.1, 2000 article titled, “Muslim Kids Get To Pray In School For Ramadan,” by Carl Campanile. This article didn’t make it far in the national news. I found it referenced in a rather obscure Christian newspaper out of Fort Worth, Texas, The Hour of Prophecy.
I thought, “Are these Texans the only people that care? How could this situation not make national headlines?” It marks one of the most dramatic inconsistencies of Constitutional interpretation in recent history.
At Lafayette High School, in Bensonhurst, in Brooklyn Technical & International in Queens, and in other Brooklyn schools, Muslim students are allowed to assemble and worship publicly in school auditoriums or makeshift prayer rooms during the regular school day.
At Lafayette, “The school lets us do our own prayer. It’s beautiful,” said Umit Kulug, a 17-year-old senior from Turkey, according to the Post. “They let one hundred of us boys and girls pray together in a big auditorium. Some of the non-Islamic students get a pass to watch us pray.” Kulig said teachers help students catch up on what they missed in class.
On the other hand, the Post notes, a Bensonhurst school mural dedicated to youths who had died was painted over just a few weeks before Ramadan, because it featured Jesus Christ.
Christmas songs heralding the name of Christ are not allowed in public schools. There cannot be Bible reading or Christian prayer, because this violates the separation of church and state. . .
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b36539a5777.htm
Your comment (from Virginia):
I don't think Columbia has gone down the tubes at all....
It was only two years ago that Columbia was rated as one of the best small cities to live in. Things have changed 180 degrees since then. I left because it got so bad.
Ashland (South of Columbia), Missouri
I don't understand why someone needs to demonstrate that they want to pray. Prayer is between God and the believer. Do you mean the believer should get a letter from her pastor? Or Look up a supporting phrase in the Bible, such as Jesus' directive to pray at all times? What kind of demonstration does one need, to get to pray?
What about devout Christians who do not belong to an established denomination, but feel (personally) God wants them to pray at various times throughout the day? Why aren't they allowed to follow their consciences, too, and retire to a quiet room to pray?
Should Christians who want a quiet room to pray in, really need to prove that a pastor, Bible, minister, bishop demands they pray?
If this is true...
This makes it sound like ONLY believers who have dictatorial leaders who tell them what to do with particular moments in their lives get to practice their religion. In other words, it looks like the religions that control their people's lives the most, also get to control the lives and spaces of the non-believers the most.What if the Imam decides to make up additional rules? Will the public schools have to obey his rules?
Seems unfair somehow, to discriminate against Christians who wish to pray. It makes it look a case of the pushier person going to the head of a line, instead getting in his place behind the others who have been waiting.
Notice the exclusion of Jews.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
That's a load of BS!.....and even if their wasn't a set time for Christian Prayers, then what is going to be done when a group of Christian students gather to thank the Lord for their lunch in the public school caffeteria?
You would have a cow
Ashland, Missouri
Yeah sure, go ahead and ask for a room to use for Bible study. See what the response from the school is.
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