Whose Prayers?

 

This morning, I woke up to find that performative prayer at school is now okay. 

I have been teaching for 24 years, and have always been very careful to keep my beliefs a mystery to my students. I am responsible for teaching facts. I teach math, literacy, history, science, and art. Students are very easily influenced by their teachers. And, that is why I stick to the facts. Just the facts.

I am a religious person. I pray regularly, and I always have a prayer in my heart each day, asking for help with my job. It is easy to say or do the wrong thing when working with kids. Frankly, I constantly need help, because how I conduct myself at school matters greatly.

The coach who performed his prayers on the fifty yard line was misguided. In my opinion, prayer is personal. In fact, it is so personal, that every religion has its own form of communication to God. Some prayers are chants. Some are hymns. Back in college, I took a semester of "Religions of the World". Believe me, prayer is a highly varied activity.

I grew up in a home where prayer was key. My mom got on her knees each night and prayed. My father gave us priesthood blessings. As a child, I remember overhearing my grandma ask my grandpa to pray for her, because she was having a difficult time breathing in bed one night. Eavesdropping on his prayer made me tear up; he was so earnest, and his prayer showed so much love for her. Our family prayed over our food each night. That particular prayer was not very sincere, and became almost rote. Considering my mom's cooking, we probably should have dug deeper. Seriously, I have had my prayers answered in profound, and deeply moving spiritual ways. 

So, now that the Supreme Court has decided that performative prayer at a school event is allowed, whose prayers will we say at school? Will we pray in class? Will we have a new addition to the jobs bulletin board? What about students who are atheists? 

We are a country that believes in a separation between church and state. Will I be expected to master Muslim prayers? Buddhist prayers? Taoist prayers? Will we spin a wheel to decide? 

Nope. This is pure folly. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, their own thoughts, and their own personal communication with God. And, that is the beauty of America.