Prince George’s Co. school lets Muslim students out of class to pray

[Incorruptible]

Parkdale High school will now allow 10 Muslim students to get out of class in order to pray on campus

The growing number of Muslim students seeking accommodations to practice their religion in public schools has stirred debate about the long-contentious issue of prayer in America’s public institutions.
But a Prince George’s County high school principal believes she has found a way to accommodate Muslim students: She gives those with parental permission and high grades a pass out of class every day to pray.
At Parkdale High School, about 10 Muslim students get out of class for about eight minutes each day to pray together on campus, said Principal Cheryl J. Logan. Another student is working hard to raise his grades so he too can join the group of students, who belong to the school’s chapter of the Muslim Students’ Association, she said.
When Muslim students began praying during the school day at Parkdale, she said, some Christian teachers got upset and told the students that “it was a Christian school.” She said she explained to the students that public schools are not religious, but are legally allowed to accommodate students to practice their religion in some ways.
“I’ve been real happy with how we’ve been able to deal with it without it becoming an issue,” Logan said.
Making accommodations for Muslim students in public schools is becoming an increasingly big issue around the country.



According to Charles Haynes, director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum who writes and speaks on religious liberty and religion in American public life, the accommodations that Logan is providing to the Muslim students are “certainly permissible” under the U.S. Constitution though probably not required.
Religious accommodations in public schools vary depending on state law, he said. Some states have passed laws that allow schools to “simply treat everyone the same way and not give exemptions or special accommodations for religious reasons.”
Asked if Logan would have to accommodate any student who asked for class time off to pray, he said that any school district “would be wise to treat everyone the same way.” Arguing that Islam requires daily prayer as a reason to accommodate Muslims and not other students of other religions is ill advised, he said.
“And that’s one of the problems with accommodation, of course,” he said. “Once you start down that road then you really are in a bind.”
Furthermore, picking and choosing which Muslim students can pray during class time may be allowable under the law, he said, but “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Last November, the Montgomery County Board of Education told leaders of the county’s growing Muslim community that it would be impossible to add an Islamic holy day to the school calendar. There are Christian and Jewish holidays on the school calendar because it was determined long ago that even if class stayed open on those days there would be too many students and teachers taking the day off anyway to operate viable classrooms.
And in some schools, female teachers and students are not allowed to wear Islamic head scarves, or have been harassed for doing so, according to the American Civil Liberties Association.

Making accommodations for Muslim students in public schools is becoming an increasingly big issue around the country.

There is nothing wrong making some minor accommodations but schools should not allow ANY STUDENT OF ANY RELIGION TO LEAVE CLASS TO PRAY. Considering that these schools are taxpayer funded this is a problem and the school should reverse the decision.



I believe the separation of Church and state should apply here since this is a public school. If the students want to go to a religious school that they pay for themselves then they have the right to do that.



Not all the teachers were happy with this

When Muslim students began praying during the school day at Parkdale, she said, some Christian teachers got upset and told the students that “it was a Christian school.”

The students should not be allowed to pray in school, if they want to pray before or after then let them or if they want to go to a religious school then thats alright but at a public school it isn't.


And this isn't the only issue

Last November, the Montgomery County Board of Education told leaders of the county’s growing Muslim community that it would be impossible to add an Islamic holy day to the school calendar. There are Christian and Jewish holidays on the school calendar because it was determined long ago that even if class stayed open on those days there would be too many students and teachers taking the day off anyway to operate viable classrooms.

The school should not add an Islamic holy day to the school calendar



Should the school allow the students to get out of class to pray?
Should there be a separation of Church and state in public schools?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ol-lets-muslim-students-out-of-class-to-pray/


http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2013/01/29/263217.html


Pamela Geller owns the students and school http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/...nd-for-prayer-accommodations-in-md-publi.html

 

[Brainonska511]

YAIHMT

I don't see the big issue at hand.

 

[Olikan]

if they can get good grades, even with the lost time...i don't see the problem too

 

[sunzt]

I believe the separation of Church and state should apply here since this is a public school. If the students want to go to a religious school that they pay for themselves then they have the right to do that.

The school is not endorsing the religion. It is constitutionally allowable for schools to accommodate religious requirements. If Christians were required to pray x times a day then the school can accommodate it as well. They also only allow Muslim students with good grades to do so, which helps motivate academic performance.

Should the school allow the students to get out of class to pray?

I wouldn't, but doesn't mean they can't.

Should there be a separation of Church and state in public schools?

There is. Are they telling people to follow thy words of god/allah or receive lower grades? No. You could argue it as preferential treatment for Muslims or as accommodating religious needs of a growing demographic.

 

[Incorruptible]

YAIHMT

I don't see the big issue at hand.

It is a big issue though, Many of these students in other schools want accommodations for themselves. This suggests that they might not be interested in integrating.

Imagine if this was a group of Christians do you think the result would be the same?

 

[Jimzz]

 

[peonyu]

If christian students ask for the same then they should get it otherwise it is discrimination.

Besides that this seems like a step backwards since the schools have tried their hardest to eliminate prayer [in general] from school for the past 50 years, if all it took was a group of muslims to stop that dead in its tracks im sure the religious right would have imported some years ago to cause a stir.

I know that this isn't classroom prayer [yet] but its not to far off, what if down the road the class becomes majority muslim and has a muslim teacher...Whats to say that they dont get the ok to pray in class ? Its certainly possible.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Glad to see the school worked with parents and ensured that the students were making good grades in their classes in order for them to participate in their prayer.

Looks like freedom of religion is alive and well in Prince George County, Va

 

[Londo_Jowo]

The school should not add an Islamic holy day to the school calendar

Agree!!! They should remove all religious holidays.

 

[ichy]

Looks like freedom of religion is alive and well in Prince George County, Va

PG County is in Maryland.

 

[ichy]

Agree!!! They should remove all religious holidays.

I disagree. Christmas is a big part of American culture even for those of us who aren't Christian.

 

[Incorruptible]

If christian students ask for the same then they should get it otherwise it is discrimination.

Besides that this seems like a step backwards since the schools have tried their hardest to eliminate prayer [in general] from school for the past 50 years, if all it took was a group of muslims to stop that dead in its tracks im sure the religious right would have imported some years ago to cause a stir.

I know that this isn't classroom prayer [yet] but its not to far off, what if down the road the class becomes majority muslim and has a muslim teacher...Whats to say that they dont get the ok to pray in class ? Its certainly possible.

But ask yourself would this happen? No, they would probably say no to the Christians

I agree that it is a step backward. They shouldn't be pandering to these students

 

[Ldir]

I believe......

You are a bigoted POS. Nobody cares.

 

[Gunslinger08]

I think a lot of people don't understand the separation of church and state. It has nothing to do with making accommodations for religion. It has to do with not mandating a state sponsored religion, such as Iran. It doesn't mean that all public officials and public places must be devoid of religious observance.

That said, I'm all for accommodations when they don't have a negative impact on the function of the facility. Leaving class everyday has a negative impact on learning. Pray silently in your seat, as any member of any religion is able to.

 

[PokerGuy]

Looks like freedom of religion is alive and well in Prince George County, Va

Uh, only if you happen to adhere to one particular religion stuck in the 14th century. A multitude of cases over the years has made it pretty clear that such accommodations would not be tolerated for others.

:thumbsdown::thumbsdown:

Keep religious stuff out of public schools, and that includes Christianity. If you want religion in school, attend a religious (private) school.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I disagree. Christmas is a big part of American culture even for those of us who aren't Christian.

Christmas is just the title and backstory that the Christians did for the winter holiday.

It's always been a holiday as far back as history goes because of the Solstice. Essentially, the sun being out longer per day, proof that another spring and another harvest were going to come. Doesn't matter what it's called IMO.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

PG County is in Maryland.

Ok, there's a Prince George County in Va. I overlooked the name of the county being Prince George's County.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I disagree. Christmas is a big part of American culture even for those of us who aren't Christian.

Either accommodate all religious holidays or accommodate none.

 

[DougK62]

Giving perks to kids that are well-behaved and getting good grades seems like a good idea to me. It really doesn't matter that the perk is of a religious nature.

 

[Theb]

 

[Theb]

Some kids in my public grade school (4-6) would get excused once a week for an hour or two to go to the church next door for bible study. When I was in high school some kids would gather around the flagpole and pray to protest the fact that they couldn't pray in school. I was never able to follow their reasoning, but it seemed to make them happy.

 

[Pens1566]

These must be the "radical" muslims that the OP always insists he is bashing when it's brought up that he's an islamophobe.

 

[Jaskalas]

Who knew that the natural progress of human civilization would go from Christian to Atheist to Muslim.

 

[Theb]

Who knew that the natural progress of human civilization would go from Christian to Atheist to Muslim.

Muslims :awe:

 

[alzan]

I think a lot of people don't understand the separation of church and state. It has nothing to do with making accommodations for religion. It has to do with not mandating a state sponsored religion, such as Iran. It doesn't mean that all public officials and public places must be devoid of religious observance.

That said, I'm all for accommodations when they don't have a negative impact on the function of the facility. Leaving class everyday has a negative impact on learning. Pray silently in your seat, as any member of any religion is able to.

+1