As I read Emily Lesk's views on prayer in school, I came up with a few of my own. Lesk, a Reform Jew, attends a Virginia high school, and she refuses to take part in the state's required moment of silence. She walks out during the quotidian moment of the silence "to show other kids there's an alternative to complacency.".
I think Lesk's views are quite radical and seem excessive. What's the big deal about staying in the room? And doesn't it take her about 20 seconds to walk in and out of the room, so can't she sit still for just 40 seconds? If we had a moment of silence, I wouldn't react too much. Everyday I would probably sit in my desk with my head down and continue doing homework. For a student, it wouldn't be a bad idea though. Think about it, it's 60 empty seconds that you have for your pleasure. A student would get their one relaxing break in the day without having to take notes, listen to lectures, and they can just go back to sleep. .
I also think it is strange that a public school would have prayer. I mean, isn't that what private schools are for? I attended a Quaker school during my elementary days, and we spent an hour a week "meditating" in meeting for worship. While teachers "felt absorbed by God," kids couldn't sit still. As for the kids that sat still, they were sound asleep. I spent my hour examining the building's exquisite architecture or whispering and signing to my friends.
I think if I had the chance to pray in school, I wouldn't take it. I"d probably use it for a modified "nap time." Praying, to me, is an intimate thing that shouldn't be done at a public school, but after a tragedy like New York City, I might utilize the moment of silence for a week or so. I think Lesk is a Jew with militant ideas, and she should just stay put when the moment of silence takes place. What's the big deal?.
