What's wrong with this picture?

[Hawkmoon]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/how-one-minnesota-school-district-handles-a-rising-immigrant-population/

Synopsis: Somali kids have trouble acclimating to school in Minnesota.

This jumped out at me:

In the district’s middle and high schools, Muslim students have access to private rooms with prayer rugs for the five daily prayers. Districtwide, school lunch menus provide pork-free options for students, and staff members try to spur the newcomer students’ interest in sports, culture clubs, and other extracurricular activities to develop connections beyond the classroom.

So, are Christian students even allowed to say a prayer in school? Last I knew, ALL prayer was banned in public schools, everywhere. If Muslim students are being allowed not just time but also special rooms to pray, FIVE times during the day -- what accommodations are being made to provide equal opportunities to Christian, Jewish, and other students?

Were pork-free meals offered to Jewish students before the influx of Muslims? If not, why not -- and if pork-free meals weren't previously offered to Jewish students, why are they now being offered to Muslim students?

[RoadKingLarry]

I just don't get the "bend over and spread 'em" concessions the libtards want to make towards Muslims. Are they that enamored of the culture or are they that afraid of it?

[lupinus]

So when will the Christian kids be given a room to turn into a chapel?  I'd ask which tree the Druid kids are supposed to worship but they probably already have one...


Sent from my iPhone. Freaking autocorrect.

[charby]

So when will the Christian kids be given a room to turn into a chapel?  I'd ask which tree the Druid kids are supposed to worship but they probably already have one...


Sent from my iPhone. Freaking autocorrect.

Have they asked? Would be easy to ask for a prayer location if other groups are given one.

[T.O.M.]

An interesting argument in 1A law is permitting vs. requiring.  Some argue that permitting the exercise of religion in a government/school setting equates state sponsored religion.   Other argue that permitting means nothing wrong under 1A so long as it's voluntary and no student is compelled to on participate by conducting the exercise where students have to on be present (school assembies, classrooms, etc).  Wonder where SCOTUS would fall on this...

[Hawkmoon]

Have they asked? Would be easy to ask for a prayer location if other groups are given one.

The Muslims have their prayer rugs. I think the Jewish kids should ask for a, prayer room complete with the Torah.

[Kingcreek]

The Muslims have their prayer rugs. I think the Jewish kids should ask for a, prayer room complete with the Torah.

And Uzi (or Tavor) SMGs
Atleast give em half a chance.

[Perd Hapley]

Last I knew, ALL prayer was banned in public schools, everywhere.

A common misconception.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_You_at_the_Pole

As I understand it, current law says that students are allowed to pray and to read religious materials in public schools, to the same extent that they are allowed to read Twilight, or talk to their friends. (That is, on their free time.) The type of prayers the courts ruled against are those led by teachers or administrators. Student-led religious events are allowed. Also, if a school allows community groups to use its facilities, they must give religious groups the same access as anyone else.

Sadly, many religious families don't understand their rights, and let the schools push them around.

[charby]

Sadly, many religious families don't understand their rights, and let the schools push them around.

Ding, Ding, winner winner chicken dinner.

[dogmush]

Sadly, many religious families don't understand their rights, and let the schools push them around.

For better or worse, that is a failing that American Muslims do not have.

[Perd Hapley]

For better or worse, that is a failing that American Muslims do not have.

The pastor of my church knows an evangelist/missionary working in the Detroit* area. According to what I was told, said missionary had just been settling in and getting to know the area when he was approached by some Muslim men in a certain neighborhood, and told he was to avoid their neighborhood in the future. I'm sure some Muslims "know their rights." For others, I suspect rights have nothing to do with it.


*It may have been another city in Michigan. I don't recall.

[dogmush]

Certainly. There are several subset of Islam in the States that are the "Bully and threaten" kind.

I was referring to the more litigious groups. (which seem to be bigger.  or at least louder.)

This thread is a great example.  All religions retain the right to pray in public schools, as long as it's not disruptive, or in any way sanctioned by the admin. Yet lots of Christians didn't know that, and Muslims not only knew their rights, but forced a school district to yield them.  There are abundant stories of employers all over the country providing prayer rooms and times for employees.  This didn't happen spontaneously.  A Muslim group approached the business with cites to laws and demanded it.

There is much I dislike about CAIR (spit) which is headquartered near my home, but a big part of what they do is troll around looking for Muslims that aren't exercising the legal portions of their 1A rights and make a huge deal about getting them.  It's the same technique used by race pimps, and the Gay activists.  And it is largely successful at forcing people to do what they want.

Several people in this thread mentioned "what would happen if a Christian group did this?" and the answer is we could predict, but we don't really know.  Because when was the last time a Christian group stood up and said, "No this is my Right, and you will allow it!"?  The last big one I remember is the prayer in schools thing, and they won.  Christians are allowed to pray and have bibles in their possession in schools.  Even if they don't know it.

Which is why I said "For better or worse". As a liberty loving person, people standing up for their rights is a good thing.  As a realist, using the government to browbeat other groups into submission is less good, even if it's sometimes needed.  Unfortunately, it sometimes empowers bullies like those in your post to go above and beyond what is legal or right, secure in the knowledge that their victims probably don't actually know the limits of the law.

The proper response to being threatened like that is to build a church as close to the middle of the 'hood as possible and start preaching.  Let the criminals and jihadist show their true colors so we can separate them and cull them.

[K Frame]

" Last I knew, ALL prayer was banned in public schools, everywhere. "

No.

School led prayer is one thing. Providing space for students to pray is another.

[RevDisk]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_You_at_the_Pole

As I understand it, current law says that students are allowed to pray and to read religious materials in public schools, to the same extent that they are allowed to read Twilight, or talk to their friends. (That is, on their free time.) The type of prayers the courts ruled against are those led by teachers or administrators. Student-led religious events are allowed. Also, if a school allows community groups to use its facilities, they must give religious groups the same access as anyone else.

Sadly, many religious families don't understand their rights, and let the schools push them around.

Er, not so sure about that middle part. Teachers and administrators aren't supposed to be allowed to force students to participate, or use coercion. They can be involved in prayers, religious clubs, etc. There's loopholes, of course. They can't legally compel you to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, nor can they be punish you for not doing so but they can obviously make you listen to it.

But yes, schools must allow religious material. It can be used during their free time, ie lunch or recess. Schools cannot ban that. Theoretically, schools are supposed to provide equal facility use. That is, if they allow group A to have a club or use a room, then any group B can do the same. They can blanket ban clubs/activities/etc, or they have to allow any religious group.

[KD5NRH]

So when will the Christian kids be given a room to turn into a chapel?  I'd ask which tree the Druid kids are supposed to worship but they probably already have one...

And will the Atheist kids get a frictionless vacuum?

[MechAg94]

And will the Atheist kids get a frictionless vacuum?

No, just an empty room to contemplate nothing.  They have to believe in the frictionless vacuum even though they cannot see it or experience it directly.

[K Frame]

And will the Atheist kids get a frictionless vacuum?

Nah. They get study hall.

[Perd Hapley]

Er, not so sure about that middle part.

[confused face] I'm not sure where we disagree.

Several people in this thread mentioned "what would happen if a Christian group did this?" and the answer is we could predict, but we don't really know.  Because when was the last time a Christian group stood up and said, "No this is my Right, and you will allow it!"?  The last big one I remember is the prayer in schools thing, and they won.  Christians are allowed to pray and have bibles in their possession in schools.  Even if they don't know it.

Oh, it happens. You could look at the American Center for Law & Justice website. They get involved in things like that.

Before I lived in this area, some kids from my current church started a Bible club at their school. An atheist student argued successfully to the administrators that having a religious club at a public school was a Bad Thing. The club was no longer allowed to meet at the school.

By the next school year, said atheist was a born-again member of our church (still is), and argued successfully that said club must be allowed to meet at the school.

On the flip side, a young lady at our church was involved with her daughter's Girl Scout group, and really enjoyed it. She then discovered that one of the girls was actually a boy, whose parent(s) was/were encouraging him to live as a girl. Some of the leadership was aware, but many of the parents hadn't been told about this. I suggested that she contact some conservative group or somebody like Sean Hannity, or at least call a local talk radio show, or somebody. But she had already called a meeting for the whole group to talk it over. The SJW faction got all their ducks in a row, and brought a lawyer, and used the meeting to make her look like the bad guy. She still could have done something, but I guess she didn't really want to fight it. So she and her daughter just quit.