From: reed@rd08.wg2.waii.com (Michael Reed)
Newsgroups: tx.politics
Subject: Re: Bush Vetoes Stupid Education Reform Bill
Date: 6 Nov 92 20:09:40 GMT
Reply-To: reed@rd08.wg2.waii.com
Distribution: tx
Organization: Western Geophysical Research & Development

In article <21824@rpp386.lonestar.org>, jfh@rpp386.lonestar.org (John F. Haugh II) writes:
|> 
|> 	"Let Us Pray!", by Eugene H. Methvin, Reader's Digest,
|> 		November 1992
|> 
|> 	Do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling
|> 	that it is unconstitional for a prayer to be offered at a high-
|> 	school graduation?
|> 		80% Disapprove
|> 		18% Approve
|> 

	That's what the Bill of Rights is for, to protect the rights
	of minorities from the majority.  At my high school graduation
	a minister said a short non-denominational prayer that
	referenced God and a rabbi said a prayer in Hebrew.  At the
	time I knew it was unconstitutional and I am glad someone
	finally sued over it and won.
|>
|> 	Do you generally favor or oppose prayer in public schools?
|> 		75% Favor
|> 		19% Oppose
|> 
	Ask the question the right way and you will get the answer you are
	looking you want.  I think most people favor individual silent
	prayer wherever anyone wants to do it.  Group prayer at any 
	public function violates the state establishment of religion.

|> 	It's right for a school to put up a manger scene or menorah
|> 	during the holiday season?
|> 		76% Agree
|> 		21% Disagree
|> 
	Can I put up an upside down pentagram in celebration of the Winter
	Solstice?  What about people that have no religious holidays
	at all, how can they participate?  By allowing any religious
	symbols in the school, government is sanctioning religions.
	Once again it doesn't matter how many are in favor: the
	Constitution is to protect the rights of the minority.

|> 	Would you be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate
|> 	for President or Congress who favored prayer in public schools?
|> 		59% More likely
|> 		16% Less likely
|> 

	Yeah, and Bush's support for prayer in school won him lots of
	votes.

|> 	"In 1962, however, the [ Supreme ] Court decided that prayer in
|> 	 classrooms is unconstitutional.  Since then, with the federal
|> 	 judiciary as their guide, school authorities have told youngsters
|> 	 they cannot sit together at their lunch hour and read the Bible,
|> 	 say grace over their meals or discuss religion.  A handicapped
|> 	 girl in Texas was ordered not to use her rosary on a school bus.
|> 	 A Denver teacher was ordered to cease reading his Bible silently
|> 	 during his class reading period and to remove the book from his
|> 	 desk.
|> 
	Other than the teacher who as a public figure was endorsing a
	religion by having the bible on his desk, the other people
	could have sued for interference in their right to freedom of
	expression.  Note that the courts did not make these
	determinations, but school administrators did.

|> 	 ...
|> 
|> 	 "And at the North Clayton (Ga.) Junior High School, drama, math,
|> 	  science and chess clubs assembled.  But the 60-member Youth for
|> 	  Christ Club, which always met after school, was expelled from
|> 	  campus after a lawsuite was filed through the American Civil
|> 	  Liberties Union (ACLU). ..."

	Using public, tax-payer funded facilities by religious group
	is a clear violation of the ban on the state establishment of
	religion.
	

	I would not believe John Haugh's claim that silent prayer was
	not allowed in his high school.  Like his claim that he was
	once offered a scholarship to MIT (MIT doesn't give
	scholarships), it is probably another lie made to advance his
	own argument.  And even if they did ban silent prayer, Haugh's
	hated enemy, the ACLU, would have been more than happy to sue
	the school district for their violation of his freedom of
	expression rights.  Non-disruptive speech and expression are
	protected behavior, and silent prayer during lunch period,
	between classes and during study hall is certainly
	non-disruptive.

	Tell you what.  If anyone can find a student who was told they
	could not prayer silently in school, I will sue the district on	
	behalf of the student for their rights.  
		
-- 
The above are my own opinions and mine alone.

*****************************************************************************
Dr. Michael Reed,
Western Geophysical, Research and Development Group
reed@rd08.wg2.waii.com
(713) 964-6322                     FAX: (713) 964-6372
*****************************************************************************
Newsgroups: tx.politics