Public Prayer Should Not Be Allowed In School

First I would like to offer an apology to my opponent for last round, and ask that it would not count against me when it comes time to vote.Now I would like to challenge my opponents case and then build my own.1)""Public schools exist to educate, not to proselytize. Children in public schools are a captive audience. Making prayer an official part of the school day is coercive and invasive. What 5, 8, or 10-year-old could view prayers recited as part of class routine as "voluntary"? Religion is private, and schools are public, so it is appropriate that the two should not mix. To introduce religion in our public schools builds walls between children who may not have been aware of religious differences before. [2]""Now I think there has been a major misunderstanding, I am not saying we should put aside time for students to pray, I am just saying that we shouldn't stop students from being allowed to pray. So my opponents argument about how "making prayer an official part of the school day is coercive and invasive" doesn't even matter because I am not saying that we put out a special time of day for it, I am just saying students should be given the opportunity to pray if they so choose.2. "Jesus was against public prayer. "Thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men...But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret." - Matt. 6:5-6""Now here you are doing, what you challenged me on earlier in this debate, that we are not just focusing on one religion or one God. So therefore you saying that one God "was against public prayer" what if the others are absolutely for it? We can not stop students from participating in religious rituals, if it does not involve illegal actions. Now the reason I included illegal actions is because my opponent brought up the point that of among many religions alcohol is often used during the religious ceremony. But we most importantly must follow the legal laws that we have been given.3. "For one, public prayer does not necessarily constitute balanced behavior within a group of individuals of diverse religious beliefs." I do agree that many religious ceremonies and prayers are very diverse, but I would like to explain again that I am not saying that we must force them to participate in this prayer, but that we should give them the opportunity. Now you focused some on that certain religions must have a certain set up for their religious ceremonies, and there it would have to be on the discretion of the school district, and the principal of that school.4. "Let us look at the educational system and what it does for us and our countries. We are expected to learn in a facility like this, we are expected to show up and soak in information that will better our future." Now here I must forward the question to my opponent, we are going to school to learn, and aren't we learning by participating in our religious beliefs? Also he asked "How can we effectively teach children and teenagers alike about certain subjects when we are busy taking breaks for prayers?" Now I have stated earlier in this argument, and I would like to restate it again, there will be no breaks for prayer, the student must do this in their own time (recess, lunch, before school). 5. "We need to also remind ourselves that there are religious-based schools out there that allow this behavior (prayer, religious beliefs, etc)." Now I have hit on the fact that in this debate we are talking about public schools. And comparatively public schools are cheaper then religious schools. And what about those students that their isn't a religious school in their surrounding area, so they don't have a chance to attend it? My opponent also brought up home schooling. But if my opponent took time to do research on home schooling, a parent or guardian MUST go through certification, to legally have their student home schooled. And what if a parent isn't able to stay at home with their 5 and 6 year old student, because they both have to have income to keep there house going?Now that I have attacked my opponents arguments I would like to build my own.1) HHaving the first amendment that gives us the freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Now my opponent and I have kind of gone head to head on this one. Because as he stated just because we have gun rights doesn't mean we can just go and shoot up a school. And yes I do agree with this. But we must give the opportunity for students to exercise those rights, without interfering with laws, or the rights of others. It is important to accept diversity in our school we don't want students to conform, but to be unique in each individual person.