One subject that is sure to cause controversy among a group of people is a discussion centered around religion. This truism carries over into education as witnessed by the series of events and actions that have taken place throughout history, and particularly since the mid-twentieth century. The purpose of this paper will be to research religions' most visible ritual, prayer, and its role in America's public schools. A review of its history, the legal and religious aspects associated with it and the resulting social implications will be provided.
With the campaign and eventual election of Ronald Reagan as
President of the United States in 1980, America has been subjected to a backlash from the "New Religious Right" over legal and judicial actions taken by the U.S. Supreme Court, beginning in the early 1960's. Cries such as "Why can't children pray in school?," or "Isn't creationism just as scientific as evolution and shouldn't it be taught in public schools?," have been raised (Doerr 48). To these Christian fundamentalists as well as many concerned citizens and education leaders, public schools have become totally devoid of any religion. Many question if this is a good thing, and if not, what price has been paid in trying to protect the individual's rights under the Constitution's First Amendment.
Religion's place in America's public education has been tenuous since the beginning back in Massachusetts in the mid-seventeenth century (Doerr 48). Initially, religion was part of the curriculum because the populations were small and homogeneous. Minorities usually either moved or set up their own private school if they did not approve of the system. Catholics created a large private school network in the nineteenth century specifically for this purpose when public schools tended to emphasize a generalized nondenominational Protestantism.
However, as time passed, and the public grew more diverse, the school system bec...