Thoughts in a Haystack

An area church rallied outside the Onslow County Courthouse and the Onslow County School Board building this week, on a mission to put prayer back in schools. ...

"Why is God on the outside of our schools having to look in when he's always been inside of it," asked Linwood Whaley, of Baysden's Pentacostal. "We got so many kids in school that want to say prayer, and because one person does not want to, they can't pray. That's wrong. We're being discriminated as Christians, and it's time Christians took a stand."

Students in Onslow County are given one minute for a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day, during which they are not to be interrupted. Students may do with that moment of silence anything they wish, including pray, according to Onslow County School Policy 3330/4050, which was adopted in 2000.

Throughout the state of North Carolina, boards of education are not allowed to deny prayer in public schools by students volunteering to pray, "except when necessary to maintain order and discipline," according to N.C. State Statute 115C-47. Additionally, the statute expressly prohibits any local board of education from encouraging or requiring any students to pray in public schools.

"We understand that teachers cannot promote the prayer, but they cannot stop the prayer either," Whaley said. "(Kids) are under the impression that prayer is not allowed in school."

After learning of the laws in place, Jarman called the rallying a "big misunderstanding about prayer in school."

"We were told the kids couldn't pray," Jarman said.