fayfreethinkers.com

February 13, 2007

Okay, so I am in the University of Arkansas music department this afternoon. Right about 3:00pm. Might have been 2:30. I get to the third floor and one can hear quite clearly someone praying with gospel type piano accompaniment in the back ground. As one would hear in a gospel church. The largest classroom on that floor, the choir room, is filled with probably 30+ students. The students have their heads bowed and one of the students, female, is leading the class in a prayer to Jesus. The teacher is accompanying the prayer with inspirational gospel piano background. When the prayer is over, the students give each other high-fives. Then a student comes forward and closes the two classroom doors. I guess class is about to begin.

Is it not true that the Supreme Court rulings on this are very clear? I think they are. If this is at it appears, does it not teach a bad lesson to these students for them to see state employees, working at a public institution, formally flaunt the law?

Note: This probably was a rehersal for the U of A Inspirational Singers. This description is given:
"The U of A Inspirational Singers is a fully accepted choral ensemble in the Department of Music with ensemble credit available to all students enrolled in the University." Notice, the group was founded partly because of a "hunger to share the gospel message in song, and this remains a common goal of the participants." So no doubt students taking this class are well aware that they are joining a group with this mission. Basically, a U of A class credited, gospel group. Does this change anything?

My understanding (and I was the proofreader for the 9th edition of Dr. Van Patten's "History of Education in America" textbook) of the various Supreme Court rulings is that state-sponsored prayer inflicted on students (or students & parents at, say, a sporting even) is forbidden, but voluntary student groups can pray all they want to outside official class time. They can do so even using school property, if it is a temporary thing, just like any other voluntary group can put up signs/posters, sing songs/chants/whatever.

DAR
Maybe they would respond that this prayer occurs before class officially begins.

That's it. Gospel music is a perfectly valid genre for the music dept to offer and performance is a valid part of any music program. The likelihood of people taking this class also being devout, evangelical christians is very strong - and as a student group, they have the right to pray before or after, but not during, the class.