Satanist causes 12 students to be suspended for 10 days

I don't think that the students should have been suspended, but I also don't think they should get to pray aloud in a public place that other students use. I don't really understand why the students weren't allowed to use a private room where they wouldn't infringe on the rights of other students. I think the school made the wrong decision here, but I can see the Satanist student's point of view as well as that of the students who were praying. They would have probably been just as offended if a Satanist group had been gathering in the cafeteria.

I am a big believer in seperation of church and state, and I agree that the students shouldn't be allowed to pray publicly in the school. My main reason for that line of thought is that most schools refuse to be open minded about religion. When I was in highschool we had several religiously affiliated clubs. There was the fellowship of christian athletes, there was a jewish club, and a few others. They were all allowed to meet in the school building, but they couldn't use common areas like the lunch room or the gym. In my junior year some students and one teacher banded together to start up an club for the agnostic/athiests among the student body, and the school wouldn't let them do it. After a ton of fighting the school actually made all the other clubs meet elsewhere instead of allowing the agnostics to hold there club in the school. So if you are going to allow one group to meet inside, let every group meet inside.

that is really outrageous... i thought everybody is free to exercise their own religion as long as they are not disturbing other people... i don't think the 12 students are doing anything wrong at all... but that is what happened in today's word... when we do something right, there are people who will be jealous of us and try to stop us by using any means because they don't like us doing the right thing... it makes them look bad... like what happen in this story... i pity the 12 students... i hope the Liberty Councel can do something fast to help these students to get back to school sooner...

In our local high school the students have a room where they meet everyday. It is overseen by a teacher. This should have never happened to these young people. The school is wrong for suspending them.

This kind of stuff gets me so upset. My son graduated from a High School here and its name is Heritage High School, but they prayed every morning over the intercom and all students had to participate. His school was a private prepartory school. I never saw anything wrong with having prayer in school, if you didn't believe or you didn't want to attend then don't. This was a private group getting together as a group to do what they do. It is no different than if a club or sorority or basketball team met in a public place because it was raining. Would the students have been able to object to a group of athletics meeting in the cafeteria because that student did not like sports? I don't think so! Some people take this way too far only because the government allows it to take place. I would never go back to this school if I was suspended over something like this. The schools need students so they can stay open, but to suspend someone for this reason will ge thtem closed very quickly.

Wow! I think this is crazy! Why are people forcing others to pray outside in the bad weather because prayer doesn't meet with their beliefs? When did we become better than others? What happened to everyone being equal? This kind of story makes me sad. People who stick up for their beliefs these days are the ones getting into trouble. Is it just me or does anyone else see anything wrong with this story?

Well this is a funny turn of events. So it seems that evil wins out over good in this case. Personally...I don't see anything wrong with praying in school. Maybe if there were more students like this and more praying then there wouldn't be kids who are satanists out there....who are taken lightly while the other kids were suspended...this is the way of our world today...nice...

I don't think church and state should mix, if you want your child to pray in school send them to a church school or homeschool them. I think the school was protecting itself and they should protect themselves. We are protected from this even if you think pray should be allowed in school our consitution protects from it just like it protects all religions. But on the same token praying quitely is a different thing, no one can tell you when and where to do that. Its a disruption for a school to have kids doing that, next you'll have kids wanting to get by with other religious beliefs at school.

That is horrible and if that was one of my children , I would be up in arms with the school as what does this teach the childrne , that they can worship the devil and not God . Some of the things that I have seen on here about schools makes us wonder how safe our children are when we let them go everyday .

i agree with the suspension. No other religion gets away with flaunting their beliefs on campus, niether should Christianity.

Praise God for those 12 bold students. They have the right to pray on the campus. There's no such laws that they can't pray on the campus. And I'm glad that Liberty Counsel is providing legal assistance for them. In this day and time it's called for us Christians to take back what the devil's stolen from us. The righteous takes by force.

Just read the article, and this is such a horrible situation that should make headline news. I just simply cannot believe that these kids were suspended for praying. This country is pushing the limits on its so called freedom and soon may no longer be that.

I suggest they call the American Center for Law and Justice that takes on school boards who deny students the right to have prayer clubs. They have a right according to the Supreme Court that was set down just a few years ago. Just like other clubs have a right to have their clubs meet on school grounds, so do prayer groups.

Well, for the most part, I believe the only type of prayer not allowed in school is teacher or school led prayer. With the exception of a few cases, that seems to be the general rule of thumb. It is not illegal for any student to pray in school, though some would have you believe otherwise. I don't believe those students should have been suspended for praying. Instead, the principal should have asked them to move it somewhere else or pray quietly out of respect for non-Christian students. To quote the first amendment: "The government shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free excercise thereof...". I believe there are people taking this particular phrase and blowing it way out of proportion. From the way I interpret it, the government and any government sponsered establishments should neither advance any practice of religion, nor restrict it from being practiced. In the case of this school, while the school should not teach religious concepts except from a secular and objective point of view, they should also not interfere with a student's religious beliefs. A student is not a government sponsered entity, therefore, their right to pray in school should not be infringed upon.

I think this is terrible what happened to the students. What is wrong with being able to pray in a room or cafeteria? They are not doing any harm or causing trouble. You would think schools would want their kids to pray more. If the weather is bad, why would anyone make the kids go outside to do their praying. That principal needs to be fired. I feel bad for the kids and I would be upset if I was their parents.

This is tough because I was under the impression that religin of any kind was not allowed in the schools due to to many diffrent religins due to the many diffrent cultures. Eventho I think the punnishment was a bit harsh I have to agree that it should not have been in a public school room. They shouldh ave asked if they could use a room that was not being used at that time for there club prayer meeting that way they wouldent have gotten in trouble.

That is sad for tehnm to be suspended. There is no reason they couldn't have a room to allow them to pray. Why should they be forced to pray outside in inclement weather .

I wonder if the student was actually a Satanist or if that was just Libery Council's take on it. The students should sue. It is my understanding that schools cannot sanction prayer, but the law does not venture out into kids praying on thier own. As long as it is not a school sanctioned activity, they are within their legal rights to do so. I think the schools are too concerned about being sued and are carrying the law too far.

My co-mothers in our kids' school used to bring the bible in the cafeteria. We were only three. After series of just bringing the bible and reading quietly, the principal/owner of the school called us to the office and asked us to stop bringing the bible. I didnt get it because its a christian school.

I dont know about if a "Satanic student" as really the cause of this. But it is an outrage. What harm can a group of students praying do? They didnt seem to be forcing their views on others, and the should have the same priveleges as others. They have a right to group together and pray if they'd like.