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'''School prayer''' occurs when students at a school come together and [[prayer|pray]].  This may happen at an organised religious assembly led by school staff or religious leaders, at a student-instigated prayer meeting, or in an impromptu manner.

'''School prayer''' occurs when students at a school come together and [[prayer|pray]].  This may happen at an organised religious assembly led by school staff or religious leaders, at a student-instigated prayer meeting, or in an impromptu manner.

Different schools take a range of approaches to school prayer. Some schools strongly encourage prayer by including prayer in compulsory daily assemblies, whilst others outlaw any religious observance.  There is a range of approaches lying between these two.

Different schools take a range of approaches to school prayer. Some schools strongly encourage prayer by including it in compulsory daily assemblies, while others outlaw any religious observance.  There is a range of approaches lying between these two.

Prayer was encouraged, allowed and practiced in U.S. public schools from colonial times until 1962, when the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] in ''[[Engel v. Vitale]] ''banned '''school prayer''' citing the [[First Amendment]]'s prohibition on the government establishment of one religion over another as a precedent for its ruling.

Prayer was encouraged, allowed and practiced in U.S. public schools from colonial times until 1962, when the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] in ''[[Engel v. Vitale]]'' banned school prayer, citing the [[First Amendment]]'s prohibition on the government establishment of one religion over another as a precedent for its ruling.

[[Atheistic]] groups herald this as a great victory for their ideology, as since 1962 U.S. taxpayers have been compelled to fund and support an atheistic culture for the 90% of [[American]] students who attend [[public school]].  Supporters of the decision claim that there is a "separation of church and state" in the [[U.S. Constitution]], though no such phrase or prohibition exists in the document.

[[Atheistic]] groups herald this as a great victory for their ideology, as since 1962 U.S. taxpayers have been compelled to fund and support an atheistic culture for the 90% of [[American]] students who attend [[public school]].  Supporters of the decision claim that there is a "separation of church and state" in the [[U.S. Constitution]], though no such phrase or prohibition exists in the document.

On January 15, 2002, in Wilton, New York, kindergartener Kayla Broadus was stopped by her teacher from saying the "God is great, God is good" table prayer out loud with her friends before snack time.<ref>http://www.cjonline.com/stories/041302/usw_nation.shtml</ref> The Saratoga Springs City school district sided with the teacher, claiming the prayer was a violation of the supposedly constitutional "separation of church and state." Kayla's parents filed a lawsuit against the school and received a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Judge David Hurd on Februrary 5, 2002, against the school's suppression of Kayla's prayer. On Februrary 8, 2002, Judge Hurd issued a preliminary injunction against the school ordering it to allow Kayla to say grace with her friends. Following the injunction, the school decided to settle the embarrassing case, saying that Kayla could pray without inviting her friends to join her (as this was inexplicably deemed "disruptive").

On January 15, 2002, in Wilton, New York, kindergartener Kayla Broadus was stopped by her teacher from saying the "God is great, God is good" table prayer out loud with her friends before snack time.<ref>http://www.cjonline.com/stories/041302/usw_nation.shtml</ref> The Saratoga Springs City school district sided with the teacher, claiming the prayer was a violation of the supposedly constitutional "separation of church and state." Kayla's parents filed a lawsuit against the school and received a temporary restraining order from U.S. District Judge David Hurd on Februrary 5, 2002, against the school's suppression of Kayla's prayer. On Februrary 8, 2002, Judge Hurd issued a preliminary injunction against the school ordering it to allow Kayla to say grace with her friends. Following the injunction, the school decided to settle the embarrassing case, saying that Kayla could pray without inviting her friends to join her (as this was inexplicably deemed "disruptive").

From 2004 to 2006, a [[public school]] banned [[Bible]] study by children ... ''during recess''. A teacher complained about the use of the [[Bible]] and the principal then censored the study activity, according to a sworn statement by a teacher told to stop it.  Principal "Summa, having learned of a complaint by a teacher and of the students' Bible study, told fourth-grade teacher Virginia Larue to nix the group's recess meeting.  Larue did, according to her deposition. In that sworn statement, Larue said she briefly informed Summa of a parental complaint about the Bible study, and Summa then instructed her to end the practice, citing fear over "separation of church and state." Larue later told one of Luke's Bible study colleagues the group could no longer meet at recess, according to the deposition."<ref>http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/03/recess-bible-study-spurs-lawsuit/</ref>

From 2004 to 2006, a [[public school]] banned [[Bible]] study by children ... ''during recess''. A teacher complained about the use of the Bible and the principal then censored the study activity, according to a sworn statement by a teacher told to stop it.  Principal "Summa, having learned of a complaint by a teacher and of the students' Bible study, told fourth-grade teacher Virginia Larue to nix the group's recess meeting.  Larue did, according to her deposition. In that sworn statement, Larue said she briefly informed Summa of a parental complaint about the Bible study, and Summa then instructed her to end the practice, citing fear over 'separation of church and state.' Larue later told one of Luke's Bible study colleagues the group could no longer meet at recess, according to the deposition."<ref>http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/03/recess-bible-study-spurs-lawsuit/</ref>

In 2005, a New Jersey award-winning high school football coach, Marcus Borden, was ordered by his intolerant school district not to bow his head or "take a knee" during any player-initiated prayers. Borden resigned from coaching in October over the issue.  Borden later sued and a trial judge ruled in his favor, but school officials and their allies have appealed to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2005, a New Jersey award-winning high school football coach, Marcus Borden, was ordered by his intolerant school district not to bow his head or "take a knee" during any player-initiated prayers. Borden resigned from coaching in October over the issue.  Borden later sued and a trial judge ruled in his favor, but school officials and their allies have appealed to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.