Free Speech and Religious Protests in Schools

[AstroMen2911]

If these kids care so much about their Christian faith, they should inlist in a Christian private school.

[AstroMen2911]

If I was a Christian, I would be so embarrassed.

[Eastmanarium]

Some Christians get so angry when Christianity isn't privileged.

[gir908922]

Public schools are paid for with taxes. Churches are not. The school administration should not be favoring any religion. These students chose the wrong place and the wrong time to pray out loud. Also, in their Bible, Jesus said to pray in private, and that people who pray in public, even going to any church, are hypocrites.

[wolfwing1]

WHats funny is as you point out the Christians will get upset if a Muslim did this, I hear from my mom and other Chrsitians complaining because congress and other things will have a Muslim or a Hindu, or a Shaman giving a prayer to ALlah, or the great spirit, yet get upset if the Christians arn't allowed to give one instead.

[TaylorX04]

Funny how that works, isn't it? They might cry for their loss of freedom of religion, but what they're really crying for is their loss of dominance in American culture.

[wolfwing1]

Yeah, there was a interesting video I saw recently with my mom about how the new age stuff was getting into Christianity, and how Yoga classes were being offered as relaxation and stuff, when it's really a religion in disguise....I was thinking the entire time...that while I think it's all BS...they seem to pick on what other religions are doing alot.

[1n354a]

I think the other students should have stood up and sung "twinkle twinkle little star" in response.

[sincere2da]

Great video you think like an individual, more people should do that. Totally agree with this opinion. God Shouldn't be involved at all, wasn't it one of the reason why The United States of America is "So Great"

[SophistAtheist]

nice

[logoth80]

praying loud on graduation can not be really called a protest. its abusing the power.

why?

becouse if a protesters are sure that they dont risk anything, then how is it a protest?

if you want to be a protestor, you need to be in the weaker position, risking losing something.

[jjmblue7]

Disruption of the school's educational mission would also include marginalizing students for any reason, including students' religion or lack thereof.

[jjmblue7]

Of course, that only applies to forced/involuntary religious practices, hate crimes and bullying(like intentionally making a student feel segregated, even silently).

[beckyball102007]

Wow TaylorXo4 insulting people always get you to the top in this world. I don't have time to fight with a child on youtube. Thanks.

[TaylorX04]

The only one of us acting like a child is the one who came onto my video and commented like an authority, without actually knowing what is going on in schools. Nice try, kiddo, but no cigar.

[beckyball102007]

I am a Pace High School graduate and am very proud of what these kids did. I would have don the same thing. Maybe the reason we have so many problems in schools now is because they have taken away prayer. Ever thought about that?

[TaylorX04]

No, I haven't. Probably because prayer is still legal in schools, and only mandatory administration-led prayer has been taken away. Did you stay awake in your classes or did they just not teach you this stuff?

[1n354a]

what specific problems do you see being fixed by introducing forced prayer?

what form of prayer works best? gongs and symbols? incense? 5x a day? animal offerings?

or are you referring to the Christian prayers?

what evidence is there that the Christian form of prayer is more or less effective that any of the other forms?

would you have been as proud of these students if they were all Muslim and did the same thing?

[TaylorX04]

No one is asking you to give a bible lesson, and I don't know what Christians you know, but many of the ones I interact with have a very hard time loving others, even though few of them are willing to come right out and admit it.

I'm proud of them too, for sticking up for what they believe. Sometimes civil disobedience is a good thing, but they can't pretend that what they did was respectful of other beliefs. How would they have reacted to a Muslim group doing what they did?

[1n354a]

I don't doubt that you personally love (or at least strive to) all of "god's creatures", but I am going to have to disagree that all Christians do the same. Rather I would assert that most Christians have little respect for others views and beliefs and I feel that there is plenty of evidence to support this assertion.

How would you have reacted if the group had been Muslim? Would you have been as supportive? Would the principal been as allowing? Would the audience have allowed it?

[Syrinx69]

You couldn't give a Bible lesson if you tried. If you actually knew anything about the truth of The Bible, you would totally reject it as absurd myths and you wouldn't be a Christian.

[dennisrayso]

@jeremyscottball

no bible lessons plz

[lexielynn19]

I agree with you there is a time and place for loud prayer.

[ReIigionOfPeas]

I agree with you here. There is no reason to disrupt like that. Also no school should be favoring promoting any religion they are supposed to be teaching academics period.

[freethinker3161]

im always so fascinated with the fact that religious kids in high school need there religious views to be validated by their schools. i don't think it is bad for a prayer to be said by a valedictorian but really why don't they just leave it out. it's not fucking church. they take it to the extreme like here.

[1cuteghost1]

I agree!And if it was just a matter of free speech, then I guess the kids could tell anyone to F-off, and be rude to anyone ect.If these kids want to pray and preach so much,maybe they should've gone to a religious based school!

[ZidaneFTW]

At my brother's graduation this year there was so much religion. Out of the senior speeches, many of them actually read verses from the Bible. This kind of thing is ridiculous and, in my opinion, should not be allowed.

Off topic, but I was at a battle of the bands getting ready to play with my band mates, and the guy who organized it wanted us to bow our heads in a prayer together. The 4 Atheists, including myself, who didn't bow their heads gave each other a nod and smile. That was cool. :]

[iamthesymbolofhatred]

whatever happened to protesting by setting yourself on fire now that would have been interesting

[KasparHauser4]

Thank you for this video. The ACLU is the American Civil Liberties Union. Many christians as well as non-christians are members of it. The ACLU takes cases when people feel that their civil rights have been violated. Also if it has legal merit.

If the readers of this comment would go to the ACLU web site and search for it they would find innumerable cases where the ACLU stood up in DEFENSE of religion,

It is time for religious bigots like ChristoferL:take back their lies.

[airihi]

I don't think stopping the seniors from making speeches is that justifiable.

It would be enough that the school be publically warned to keep the speeches free of religious tones.

Then the worst could be a religious speech and the school giving the student the proverbial slap with a wet bus ticket. But the school would then be in the firing line for its continued, and very public, non-compliance.

Unlike a deniable protest where the principal bows his head and shuffles his feet in prayer.

[TheNakedAtheist]

@airihi

I don't know what the circumstances were, but I wonder if you remember the incident last year where the school valedictorian made a religious speech?

The school had a policy to review the students speeches but failed to do so in her case. If Pace high school had a similar policy, and certain students either did not submit their speech, or submitted speeches that were religious the school had every right to keep them from speaking.

[airihi]

I agree - that's what I'd expect to be a reasonable measure for the school to be asked to take.

I was just under the impression it wasn't the school that stopped them from speaking, but legal action from outside the school.

[airihi]

It seems from the news article, "the district" stopped them because it thought it would violate the legal agreement, and the legal agreement is /supposed/ to have said the students would have been influenced in what they said by the goings on at the school...

So I don't really know - the ACLU may have wanted this, or the district may just be playing martyr, or just a misunderstanding.

But you'd expect the ACLU could have clarified the situation if asked.

[BadCompany98]

Great video man.

[crossoldman]

Since when do Christians give a damn about respect for other people? They are never happy unless they get to force their delusion on people. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Christianity and Islam, two ends of the same turd.

[ScreechingInsanity]

meh, when you enter a public school system you "agree" to give up a few rights, like search & seizure. which is why at any moment a student can be searched for drugs. Dunno about free speech =/