Before the opening bell on Wednesday, millions of students from across the country gathered at their school’s flagpole to pray for their nation, their towns and cities, and their schools at the annual See You at the Pole (SYATP) prayer gathering.
“First, how stinking awesome is it that our kids, shy or bold, were coming together as one in Christ! Peer pressure didn’t stop them…,” Sarah Downing wrote on Facebook. “We had 3 girls at the pole this morning. Christ was glorified and the school lifted to our awesome God!”
The First Amendment guarantees students the right to pray on school grounds. During any noninstructional time—before or after school, in between classes, during the lunch hour or on the playing field—students may express their opinions verbally or in writing. Prayer is a form of speech, and therefore during noninstructional time, students have the constitutional right to pray individually or in groups.
“I just got back from my son’s middle school’s SYATP in Miamisburg, Ohio. It was his first time going. I cried happy tears to see all those kids loving the Lord and being proud of it,” LoriLee Wright wrote on Facebook. “When it was my son’s time to say a pray [sic] he asked God to keep His hands on our schools and on our country. I was so proud of him and so thankful that we have the freedom to do this.”
If students, parents, teachers or school administrators have questions or experienced trouble about student-initiated prayer in public school, they should contact Liberty Counsel at 1-800-671-1776.
“Revival preceded the American Revolution,” founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “America was birthed in prayer. America will be sustained in prayer.”
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