The question of prayer in public school is very controversial. Some people believe that prayer is very important for students, while others think it should not be allowed at schools. Public schools are for everyone, so it is important to consider different opinions. Of course, it depends on the country, school’s rules about praying in school and government position are different everywhere. There are 195 countries and near 4000 religions, it means that the question is not easy and so many opinions.
Everyone has freedom of choice. Prayer can be important for many students. It is a huge part of their religion and personal life. Students should have freedom to express their beliefs, including through prayer. For example, prayer can help students feel calm and reduce stress, especially during exams or stressful periods in life. It can also support moral values and help students make better decision. For many people, religion is an important part of their identity, so banning prayer completely would be unfair (ALLAboutHistory.org, n.d.). Besides, the opportunity to pray can help students feel proud for their culture and beliefs.
However organized praying in government schools can make serious problems. Students have different religious views, and some do not profess religion at all. If the school organizes a prayer, it can create pressure and force students to participate against their will. As a result, this may lead to the fact that some students can feel exhausted and discriminated. Moreover, government’s schools should observe the principle of separating church and government. This means that the school should not force religion. Organized prayer can violate student’s rights (First Amendment Encyclopedia, 2017)
The most reasonable decision is the search balance. Students should allow a personal prayer, if it is voluntary and does not interfere with others. For example, a student can pray quietly or in his spare time. However, schools should not organize collective prayers or demand participation in them. This approach allows you to preserve freedom. In addition, it helps to create comfortable and respectful educational environment.
To sum up, I can say that prayer can take place not only in schools, but also by personal choice. Schools should not require prayer because it can affect the comfort of others. Individual freedom must be allowed while keeping schools neutral. This way all students can feel respected and included in the school environment where students from other cultures and with different outlook can study together without any pressure. Respect for diversity helps to build a more tolerant and fair societ