Reply #103: Where to begin...

[YvonneCa]

...where to begin... :)


Your words:

"In the OP, the case at hand, the school system has not disallowed any other religion the same courtesy. The children mandated to attend school are not mandated to attend the course except by their parents who do retain that right. Other religions remain to avail themselves of the same courtesy." Your argument is about the second clause, 'free exercise of religion.' The article clearly defines it as an 'establishment' case. The school is being sued for SETTING UP a religious program...by making release time in the daily schedule for it. This is 'establishing' . They can't do that. If they had just given a building for that purpose...opened to use by any church...that would have been different. If they had not changed the schedule with 'release time', that would have been different.

" We certainly should not establish a religion, nor should we make law respecting an establishment of religion." I agree.

"I would rather suggest that 1. we keep public schools and that 2. these public schools allow the free practice of religion (As I see it: follow the Constitution.) 3. wherever they happen to exist and 4. whenever they exist." I agree with 1 and 2. I don't know what you mean by 3 and 4.

"Then, perhaps in keeping a public school system, that act of having a public school system, itself makes law respecting an establishment of religion, in fact, it attempts to make law respecting more than just one religion, it makes law denying religion free practice in certain areas of our country. After all, if schools cannot allow freedom of religion, then it is public schools that must go." I have to admit, this one confuses me. The only thing I can figure is that you...as many people do...believe the myth that prayer isn't allowed in public schools. Understandable, as the RW has spun that one for years. :7 I am a teacher. I've spent years ...practically 24/7...in public schools. That myth is untrue. I DO know, however, that it IS out there. I've had students bring a Bible to school and ask if they can read it during silent reading (they can...I just can't read it to them). It's like they are testing me as a representative of public schools. The RW have used this as an argument to divide us. I thought most DUers picked up on things like that.

"It is NOT the concept FREE SPEECH of which I speak, it is the zoning of free speech that I dislike and the zoning of free practice that I denounce in this thread." Again, this is RW spin. This is not about free speech...it's about government not being allowed to 'establish' or lead religious training. That would be unfair to people of a different religion than the one 'established.'