EDAS 747
Discussion Board #3: Religion in Schools
Immediately upon learning about the clear violations of the Establishment Clause, Excessive
Entanglement, and Devotional Atmosphere of the First Amendment taking place at the school, I
will contact the school’s legal department, so they are aware of the school’s violations and my
plan to correct it.
Next, I will call an emergency meeting to discuss the violations and educate the staff on the First
Amendment and how it applies to public schools, students, and teachers. Shockingly, this school
has a tradition that blatantly violates every component of the First Amendment, so, I can
reasonably anticipate pushback from the staff. Empathizing with the staff will come naturally, as
I personally am a proponent of prayer in school.
The meeting would be more informative than excusatory. As a former classroom teacher, I am
aware of just how much educators don’t know regarding school law; that includes some
administrators. As a matter of fact, I learned that my current school is violating the Establishment
Clause by offering moments of silence during morning announcements. Nevertheless, the staff at
this school will know that reciting a prayer and reading Biblical scriptures over a school
intercom is in direct violation of the First Amendment’s prohibition of a state establishment of
religion. A public food blessing prior to students eating also violates the Establishment Clause of
the First Amendment. However, the Free Exercise Clause allows students the right to voluntarily
give a silent blessing over their food without coercion from a staff member in the cafeteria.
Moreover, the staff has created Excessive Entanglement between the school and religion when
they practiced religion publicly by giving grace in the cafeteria, and by sharing religious
ideologies with the reading of Bible scriptures and leading prayer over the intercom. Lastly,
Devotional Atmospheres are established whenever the staff blesses their students’ food prior to
eating. Initiating meditation or prayer in the cafeteria turns it into a religious space.
To address these violations, I will immediately call upon the staff to refrain from praying and
reading Bible scriptures over the intercom. Additionally, I will create a school policy that bans
behavior that violates the First Amendment. Lastly, I will closely examine previous school
policies that did not apply the Principle of Neutrality; and ensure that moving forth, the school is
neither acting for nor against any religious or non-religious group.
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