Forwards and religious liberty
I have received one more forward which assumes that I, a public school teacher, am afraid to be in public school. It assumes that I am not only afraid to be here, but I am lost in a sea of pagans in the midst of which my life will surely end. I have to say that idea is far from the truth. Many of us, teachers and students in public schools, are Christians and we are here because it is God’s will for our lives. Some of the kids who are here are more dedicated than those students who I used to teach in Christian schools.
We say the pledge of allegiance — every morning. And yes, oral, group prayer is missing, but the problem is, who is supposed to teach it that doesn’t offend someone else? There are some teachers who none of us want to teach prayer. Instead, the parents of public school children see the God given right to teach their own children about God and then to allow them to teach each other. Students have those rights that the adults do not have.
And our students do pray. Every day. Individually, in the moment of silence. And some teachers pray then too. And we all have that right. And in some schools, students meet together in prayer groups. They have that right, and they exercise it.
And as a Christian school teacher I honor that right. And I pray individually, silently for each of my students and they know that without me saying so. This is America where FREEDOM rings and freedom of religion is still present — the religion we individually choose and those religions others choose. That is the definition of religious freedom.
