ng to discourage religion (1). Yet forbidding prayer does discourage religion.Earl congressional and presidential actions encouraged religion in public schools. For instance, the Northwest Treaty of 1787 and 1789 declared, “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of learning shall forever be encouraged,” (Geisler 1). Thus religion seemed to be necessary. Presidents also made proclamations encouraging school prayer. For instance, President Washington proclaimed that the nation’s duty was to obey and acknowledge God and recommended that a day be set for public thanksgiving and prayer (1).The constitution guarantees the right to free speech and religion. “They deny to every public school the right to suggest to any child that God is our creator and the Author of our liberties or to encourage any public expression of gratitude to him for those liberties regardless of the historical and constitutional tradition of this nation,” (Andryszewski 27). It is unfair to deny the right of free speech to students while allowing everyone else to enjoy their right. We clearly have a right to say what we want to say and choose our own religious values.“Our society has become worse since 1962, we did not consider what kind of society we would have without prayer,” stated writer Gary Jefferson (Free 1). After the 1962 verdict the religious community turned into an uproar. Many bills have been brought forth in congress and although the majority is in favor of them they are not passed. For instance, Chairman Celler received 13,000 pieces of mail regarding a school prayer amendment (Haas 61). About 8,000 favored it and 5,000 opposed it and it sill was not passed (61). Prayer in school can lower crime rate, increase moral values, unite religions, and revive America’s rich spiritual heritage on which this country was pr...
