From: Hrothgar@yabbs
To: sienna@yabbs
Subject: prayer in school
Date: Thu Aug  4 15:20:43 1994
My feeling, as a firm believer in separation of Church and state, is that 
prayer should not be suppressed, yet no time (like for example a 
five-minute period of silence in the morning for personal practice) should 
be allotted for the church in schools.  That includes of course, other 
state-run institutions.  This is less a moral debate and more a government 
intervention.  While I feel anyone should feel free to pray in school, at 
work, etc, they can do it on their own time.
Pledge to the flag, however, IS not only a right of the State but IMHO a 
responsibility to the people in that institution, again in school, 
Congress, the Post Office, wherever.  If you want to work for the state, 
you should be willing to pledge your allegiance to the very symbol you 
work under.  Otherwise you oughtn't work there.
(of course that's opening up a whole different can o' worms)
Similarly, at a church run school (catholic prep school OR
a church-supported college) prayer ought to be allotted, or at least that 
right be given the school.  Since the church is supporting the 
institution, it ought receive reverence from the people attending the 
school.
Well, there ya have it...
Hroth