What Do You Think?

[troach]

Actually on this one seems to be a no-win situation.

If they allow the person to include the statement (that uses the word Father) then they will have complaints from all the non-christians saying that the school is promoting reglion.
But I almost have to wonder what would have happen if instead of Father statement started Allah or Goddess or ...
Would the same objections have been raised or in the world of tollerent political correctness would it have been allowed to stay?


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copied from:
http://www.persecutionblog.com/christian_persecution/index.html

Stacy L. Harp
June 18, 2010


The Graduates Prayer Not Allowed at Eastern Graduation

Here's another case of a politically correct administrator going crazy about prayer at graduation, and yet in this case, the "prayer" that was banned wasn't even a prayer, it was a poem entitled The Graduation Prayer by popular poet and greeting card author, Helen Steiner Rice. According to The York Dispatch, Aaron Mackley, the Senior Class President wanted to read the Rice poem, but was told they could not because it was a prayer.

Solicitor's decision: Board solicitor Phil Spare defended his decision to remove that portion of the speech from the ceremony. Spare said he wasn't given the actual text until a few hours before the ceremony.

"I take full responsibility for this decision," said Spare. "To embrace free speech, then you have to take an anything-goes mentality. If the district doesn't want to open themselves up to anything that may include inappropriate or vulgar comments, then it must give its stamp of approval to each speech. I felt that if we gave the stamp of approval to this prayer it would violate the law. I stand by that decision."

What I find particularly interesting in this case is that because this Board solicitor deemed it inappropriate and a violation of free speech, he did it based on his understanding of the law, and not our Constitution. I also find it telling that this "prayer" did not mention the name of Jesus any place in it, and the only reference to a deity, was the term Father. And yet this man felt this was inappropriate.

Here's the "offensive" language Spare thought was inappropriate.

A Graduate's Prayer

Father I have knowledge, So will you show me now How to use it wisely And find a way somehow To make the world I live in A little better place, And make life with its problems A bit easier to face? Grant me faith and courage And put purpose in my days And show me how to serve Thee In the most effective ways So all my education My knowledge and my skill May find their true fulfillment As I learn to do Thy will. And may I ever be aware in everything I do that knowledge comes from learning and wisdom comes from you. - Helen Steiner Rice