Prayer in Public Schools - More Questions than AnswersCensorship is a very broad subject. Is it good or bad? Often we wonder if such things must exist because of First Amendment rights. It states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or restricting freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. (Amendments.) In the case of Ginzberg v. United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said: “Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself. It’s the mark of an authoritarian regime…” Is he right? Does society lack self-confidence? Yes, there are certain situations that should be censored, such as pornography. But should religion in public schools be censored? Censorship of religion in public schools is wrong if it infringes on a student's right to practice their religion. One infraction would be praying at school. Public schools are funded by taxpayer dollars, so why would anyone want their tax dollars to support an institution that forbids their children from praying? On the other hand, what non-believer would want their children to participate in prayer with their tax dollars? Religion is an issue that many school districts are unwilling to participate in because feelings run high on this issue and courts have traditionally given a strict interpretation of the Constitution's separation of church and state. in class. (Heilik.) “Public education in America...is destroying democracy in America,” says Pat Robertson. He goes on to say that public schools are in a "stranglehold"... middle of paper ... the line should be drawn between one's right to pray and another's right not to participate. the Constitution. Article I. http://www.law.emory.edu/FEDERAL/usconst/amend.html.Edwards, June. Opposing censorship in public schools, religion, morality and literature. Mahwah, New Jersey. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 1998. Heilik, Dena. “On censorship and religion”. LIS 582 - Globalization, diversity and information. December 10, 1998. April 8, 1999. .Riley, Richard W. United States Department of Education - Secretary. January 26, 2000. http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html. Rudder, John. School prayer. Internet Infidels 1995-2001. December 31, 1999. http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/church-state/prayer.html.