I get to see
images like this on Facebook all the time.
What’s worse are the ill-informed people that like or comment about how
schools are terrible because we don’t allow prayer or God in our public
schools. Another one of my favorites is
that we don’t say the pledge because the word ”God” is in it. The reality is that these folks just don’t know
what goes on in schools. I have on
occasion commented back on these images and posts to inform them that it is
required by law to allow a moment of silence each day and the pledge must be
recited each day. In my building we do
this every day.
I rarely
will let readers into my personal religious beliefs because I am a very secular
Christian. That doesn't mean I am a
Christian of convenience, it means that I try to live the gospel by example in the world we live in and
do nothing to throw my faith into other’s faces. Just this once I am going to break from my comfort
zone to challenge those who think God is not in schools.
Let’s look
only at my school because that’s all I know.
Every day I have several tables of students who pray before lunch. Hand in hand, macho boys praying. During the month of December our students
raised over $1000 for charitable causes in our community. Several students give up their lunch time to
help our intellectually disabled students eat and do PE. Every Tuesday dozens of kids meet with a
youth minister for First Priority, a faith based club that meets at recess
time for worship. All of these
activities are Godly and many students take part. They are not forced to, they willingly participate
because they are strong in their faith.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to
all who call on him in truth. (Psalms 145:18) These kids understand this. Even at school, beyond church walls they call
on him. They are not afraid of the
stigma, not afraid of being made fun of.
They take God with them when they leave home.
My friends the question should not be why isn’t there God in
schools, it should be why God doesn't go to school with our kids? “My presence will go with you, and I will
give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14). I
have a number of kids that cuss and disobey at school but then come and tell me
on Monday how great church was. This is
prime example of how kids are not taking God with them everywhere they go. As a school administrator I can’t tell them
how to worship or who to worship and so on.
That must be done in the home. If
people want God in schools, they must teach their children how to take him with
them when they walk out of the house. They will not be alone and they will not be told that they cannot do so. The United States Supreme Court has protected a student's right to worship but as a matter of separation of church and state, the school cannot lead them in worship. It is is simple as that. Parents: encourage your kids to take God to school. Don't blame the school for this task not being done.
