Intro to Law

Name______Hour______Date______

May They Do That? — A school prayer quiz

  1. The student body of a public high school votes unanimously in favor of including prayer in the graduation ceremony. The ceremony is held in the school gymnasium. May a student speaker include a prayer?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. A 10-year-old boy brings a Bible to school to read during free time and independent reading. May he do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. A student sitting in the school cafeteria bows her head and silently says grace before eating her lunch. May she do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. A school sends to each home a letter asking for parents to sign a release form. This consent form would allow schools to give their children’s names to Partners in Prayer. The group’s members adopt classrooms and pray for students. May the school do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. A large city school system adds a unit on historical developments in religious thought in its world history program. This unit includes teaching about major world religions. May schools do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. Teachers in the English department of a high school, discovering that students did not understand the allusions found in poetry, added a study of the Bible as literature in its tenth grade program. May the English department do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. In Pennsylvania and Baltimore schools, authorities require all students to recite the Lord’s Prayer. Students are excluded from this activity if parents write a note requesting their son or daughter be excused from the recitation. May the schools require students to recite the Lord’s Prayer?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. The Young Buddhists Club prepares daily announcements and a bulletin board to invite students to Bodhi Day celebration. May they do that?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know
  1. A student in art class draws hands folded in prayer holding rosary beads. The teacher tells her the work is inappropriate for a graded project. May the teacher refuse to allow students to draw or photograph work with religious symbols or items?
  2. yes
  3. no
  4. maybe
  5. I don’t know

Do you know the rights and limits on student religious expression in public secondary schools?

Circle true or false.

  1. Students may not engage in group prayer and religious discussion during the school day.
    True or False
  1. A “limited open forum” is created whenever a public secondary school provides an opportunity for one or more noncurriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during noninstructional time.
    True or False
  1. Schools may not establish regulations for meetings that take place in its limited open forum.
    True or False
  1. Schools may not assign teachers to supervise a meeting of a religious club.
    True or False
  1. Schools may allow student clubs in which abortion, drinking age and alternative lifestyles are discussed.
    True or False
  1. If religious groups are allowed to meet on school premises under the Equal Access Act, then the school must allow cults and hate groups, such as the Skinheads and KKK to meet.
    True or False
  1. Students may display religious messages on items of clothing.
    True or False
  1. School officials, including class sponsors, may not organize religious baccalaureate ceremonies.
    True or False
  1. Students may read the Bible or other scriptures during the school day.
    True or False
  1. A student may say a prayer before his meal in the school’s cafeteria, but a group of students may not. This could be considered coercion or intimidation.
    True or False