Lawmakers
Sit On
The Fence
JENNIFER FINER STAFF WRITER
en members of
Michigan's con-
gressional delega
tion were asked
their position on prayer in the
public schools, some voiced sen-
timents along party lines. Oth-
er respondents were ambiguous
about their position. Still others
did not respond to Jewish News
questions about school prayer.
Republican leadership in
the nation's capital has said a
vote on a constitutional school-
prayer amendment is-unlike-
ly. However, the prayer issue
has received a good deal of at-
tention since Newt Gingrich
vowed a congressional vote on
a prayer amendment by July
4 and several members of Con-
gress introduced prayer legis-
lation.
In a written response out-
lining his position, Rep. John
Conyers, a Detroit Democrat,
said, "I'm opposed to govern-
ment-coerced prayer."
Democratic Rep. Bart
Stupak, of the Upper
Peninsula, said govern-
ment should not devise
school prayer.
"I firmly believe that
government, whether
it's federal, state or lo-
cal, should not compose
official prayers for pub-
lic-school children to re-
cite. However, I am
generally supportive of a
moment of silence or per-
sonal reflection for students."
A spokesperson from Rep.
Peter Hoekstra's office said the
Republican lawmaker from
Holland is opposed to state-
sponsored prayer but is likely
to support a moment of si-
lence.
U.S. Senator Spencer Abra-
ham, a Michigan Republican,
also supports a voluntary mo-
ment of silence, according to
one of his staff members.
Bloomfield Hills Rep. Joe
Knollenberg, a Republican, said
he would hesitate to support any
mandatory public-school prayer
amendment. "Such an amend-
ment would inherently raise a
host of other questions and con-
cerns," he said.
"The relationship between
church and state is fragile and
we should exercise great cau-
tion before tampering with the
balance the Founding Fathers
created," he said.
WI
Cr)
LLJ
Cr)
LLJ
"J
CC
I-
LL)
LL,
F-
41
❑
tion, the Declaration of Indepen- silence is something to fight
dence and any writing, speech, against.
"There is a fear that the mo-
document or proclamation of the
Founding Fathers of the United ment of silence will be a stalking
States, some of whom were or- horse for something more," Mrs.
dained ministers. This bill would Imerman said. "Once you open
allow their sermons to be read by one door, you have to wonder
what comes next."
a public-school teacher.
The New York-based Agudath
A separate state Senate reso-
lution asks the U.S. Congress to Israel, an Orthodox movement
pass and submit to the state leg- concerned with education, takes
islatures an amendment to the a similar stance.
"We are not in support of any
U.S. Constitution to allow prayer
legislation that would force any
in school.
he AJC's Ms. Abrahms Jewish student to attend any
speaks from experience place where a nondenomination-
when she says school al prayer was being said," said
prayer has the potential to Rabbi Avi Shafran, spokesperson
single out children at an age for Agudath Israel. "We would
when they do not want to feel dif- much rather see no prayer in the
ferent. As the only Jewish stu- schools."
But this by no means defines
dent in her Gadsden, Ala., high
school, she felt ostracized each the entire Orthodox community,
morning when her teacher would which tends to espouse political-
begin a prayer with the petition: ly conservative viewpoints. The
"Let us pray for the one among question has splintered Orthodox
Jews. Many Lubavitch Jews are
us who is not a believer."
"This is my fear about school not opposed to school prayer. 'The
prayer: that there will always be rebbe took a position on the issue
that one teacher who wants to a long time ago," said Yitschak
make that one person in the class M. Kagan, with the Lubavitch
Foundation of Michigan. "I'd say
the Lubavitch are not opposed to
a nondenominational prayer in
public schools. However, if that
cannot be achieved, we actively
support a moment of silence."
Toward Tradition, with
10,000 members nationwide,
agrees with the Lubavitch
position.
Rabbi Lapin sees the po-
litical pendulum swinging
more to the right and he be-
lieves Jews would be wise to
join that movement. He
feels liberal Jewish thought
can be catastrophic for the fu-
ture of American Jews. "The
first and most crucial part of our
approach is that at a time when
a majority of Americans are mov-
ing toward the right politically,
economically, culturally, we ques-
tion the wisdom of the Jewish
a believer in his religion," Ms. community remaining the most
visible and the most outspoken
Abrahms said.
Her fear is shared by others advocate for yesterday's discred-
who vow to fight everything from ited policies," he said, adding that
nondenominational prayer to a he doesn't see a problem with
nondenominational prayer. "I am
moment of silence.
One of her compatriots, Miri- more concerned with the public-
am Imerman of the Jewish Corn- relations catastrophe than with
munity Council of Metropolitan the putative peril of little Jacob
Detroit, feels Jews are at risk or little Rebecca saying a prayer
from the "majority rule" in the to God in the morning."
Even if Congress amends the
arena of religion.
"Because we are in the minor- Constitution, it must be ratified
ity, our natural psyche gets tense by a majority in three-quarters
when our leaders impose religion of the states.
The last time an amendment
and we know the religion is not
going to be ours," Mrs. Imerman was added to the Constitution
was in 1971, when Congress gave
said.
To her, something as seem- citizens 18 and older in every
ingly innocuous as a moment of state the right to vote. ❑
T
Gray Areas Cloud
Prayer In School
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR STAFF WRITER
T
he shade of gray has come
to symbolize more than a
rainy day, especially in
the arena of prayer in
public schools.
The issue, at times clouded
by emotion, has been brought
time after time to lower courts
that subsequently make con-
tradictory decisions. The
Supreme Court is then left to
decide what is constitutional
and what is not.
In many cases little has been
decided, which means local
school districts are left to make
the determination.
In response to calls for a con-
stitutional amendment man-
dating prayer, the
Anti-Defamation League and
the American Jewish Commit-
tee have released guidelines on
religion and prayer in Ameri-
ca's public schools.
The following are answers to
frequently asked questions:
When is voluntary prayer
in public school legal?
No Supreme Court ruling
bars a student from praying qui-
etly at any time as long as it
does not cause a disruption in
class. Many prayers are said
before and during tests in pub-
lic schools. Oral group prayers
are also allowed during free
time.
ing that time. The Supreme
Court ruled in 1985 that the
goal. of a law in Alabama was to
support such activity.
If the teacher or principal
wants to settle the kids down
before the start of class, a neu-
tral moment of silence may be
called.
Is teaching religion ac-
ceptable?
Teaching about religion is al-
lowed in public school; for ex-
ample, through their advanced
classes, Berkley and Oak Park
students can take Comparative
Religions, an elective. Also, im-
pact of religion on events such
as the Holocaust or the Cru-
sades can be taught in history
class.
Teachers of the subjects must
remain neutral to the subject
and cannot favor or disparage
any religion.
Can students use public-
school grounds to prosely-
tize other students?
Some districts have specific
policies which would render the
practice unacceptable. Students
who attend public schools have
a right not to be coerced when
it comes to their personal reli-
gious beliefs.
Students do have a limited
right to free speech which al-
lows them to distribute religious
literature on school grounds.
However, the school can limit
when and where the distribu-
tion occurs.
Adults cannot distribute such
materials on school grounds. In-
stead, they are allowed to do so
on public property off school
grounds.
Students are also allowed to
invite each other to attend their
religious observances, it is per-
fectly acceptable, for instance,
for a student to invite a friend
to a bar mitzvah celebration.
What about a prayer at a
public-school graduation
when school is no longer in
session?
Prayers at public-school grad-
uations delivered by officials of
the school or a member of the
clergy were found by the
Supreme Court to violate the
Establishment Clause which
separates church and state.
However, a nonsectarian,
nonproselytizing prayer initi-
ated and delivered by students
has been found by an appeals
court to serve a secular purpose
Can school administra-
that did not involve government
tors or teachers lead a reli-
or endorse religion.
Yet another court found that gious activity in a public
graduation events are manda- school?
Because the teachers and ad-
tory and therefore a prayer, by
students or officials, would vio- ministrators work for the state,
late the Establishment Clause. and because the state does not
advocate a religion, they are
If a prayer is allowed dur- usually barred from leading the
ing some circumstances, prayer groups.
That doesn't mean that a
then is a moment of silence
teacher cannot attend such an
allowed?
No, if the sole purpose is to event; they just can't act in their
induce the students to pray dur- official capacity.