As SCOTUS Examines School Prayer, Families Behind a Landmark Ruling Speak Out | Retro Report

Ruling in favor of a high school coach who knelt to pray on the football field, the Supreme Court opened the door to challenges on school prayer, 60 years after a landmark ruling in Engel v. Vitale. Lesson plan for educators: retroreport.org/video/as-scot...
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[@IamACanadian47]

Absolutely love retro report, but I would really like to see your cool intro on every video Jane old tv with poor reception and a date of the origin of the particular story), it makes you feel nostalgic and curious about where we’ve been and where we’re headed. Thank you 👏🇨🇦

[@RETROREPORT]

This is a debate in our office -- some people love, some people hate it, lol

[@IamACanadian47]

@@RETROREPORT How could you hate it? It gives a sense of history and especially continuity; imagine if people 2 or 3 hundred years from now look at these videos and see how we looked back on them as well. All of this is presuming we get better as a civilization rather then worse at which point there won’t be anybody left to watch 🤔

[@tardlyfe3571]

Bring back the theme song!@@RETROREPORT

[@Dexy83]

I can't believe how many times a day I say out loud... IT IS 2023! 🤬 Prayer in schools. Abortion rights. Banning books. On and on... 😭

[@Ringer5]

Ah! Retro Report! Why did you do this to me! Such a good episode. This one hits me personally because I'm a former teacher and an athiest. I hate that this football coach got away with spitting in the face of everything the Constitution stands for. He can pray all he wants in his spare time, but he knew damn well that what he was doing is against school policy! Ugh! He pisses me off so much! If it was ANY OTHER religious prayer worship besides Christianity, you know damn well that coach/teacher would be fired on the spot. These bigots are always crying "Freedom of Religion for me, but not thee." Don't worry someday, I'll look back at this and laugh when a satanist tries to do the same thing. The SOCTUS will say some double-standard bullshit. America will learn someday that "you can't have freedom of religion without freedom from religion."

[@neoxyte]

Can you elaborate as to why you're a former teacher? Was it because of retirement? Or did you resign from the career due to other issues? I am hearing a lot about teachers quitting in large number due to several issues. Low pay is a big one but I also hear about parents who are just plain horrible.

[@Ringer5]

@neoxyte short answer, I quit in 2018. Long answer, I kept getting rejected (3+ times) from universities to complete my credentials so I can be a full-time teacher rather than a substitute teacher. It was depressing and led to a suicide attempt.

[@TheRealSpeedWolf]

@@Ringer5 It is not my business, and I don't know your financial means. Have you ever considered working abroad, such as in Mexico? There are many English courses there that pay well. I'm just wondering if you have considered those avenues.

[@crisptomato9495]

As someone who lives in an area with publicly funded Catholic schools I couldn’t agree more.

[@TheRealSpeedWolf]

The liberties and freedom that everyone has the right to pursue are due to many atheists in the United States. It is those with deep ideologies, in other words, deeply religious people, who take those liberties away. Think about it, we’re talking about the people who believe in the Abrahamic religion, the same ones who believe in a God that told him to sacrifice his son as a test of his devotion. Why would a rational human being worship or believe in such a god? Furthermore, why would you follow someone who would have carried out such a horrible thing without question.

[@XtoDoubt25]

Atheist detected, opinion rejected. Error non habet ius.

[@Ringer5]

@@XtoDoubt25 INDOCTRINATION DETECTED! Logical fallacy incoming!

[@rolffriis5149]

​@XtoDoubt25 non-thinker detected. You aren't a serious person so you are rejected.

[@TimmyTheTinman]

There weren’t a lot of athesits throughout American history, the founding fathers just knew that mixing religion and government was dangerous, which is something that fundamentalists like to gloss over

[@Sebman1113]

I see you enjoy twisting Christianity. Yes liberty and freedom is good but I’d say Christianity is what gave us this freedom being a major part of Christianity is God making humans in his image meaning we have a rational mind to comprehend truth such as math, science, philosophy, and religion. I see you also seperated Jesus and God where in the Christian religion, Jesus as well as the father and the Holy Spirit are completely God but seperate persons. Partialism isa common misconception but the trinity is what Christians believe in. This is why Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of all man is so significant, God sacrificed himself to save all that he possibly can, those who have faith and accept the Holy Spirit.

[@Raydensheraj]

Back when we had a "Supreme Court." Now its the "Neo Confederate Christian nationalist southern strategist Court."

[@Ncthrifter]

Its not about freedom of religion its about freedom of Christianity. If the coach was Muslim and had the kids praying on mats facing the same direction and was yelling allah Akbar be a different reaction.

[@XtoDoubt25]

For all in this comments section, I have a legitimate question. We all agree children should be taught the truth but we disagree on what the truth is. Say for exanple, you hold there to be no God, I hold the opposite. Because this is a zero sum proposition, God either exists or He doesn't, there is no compromise position possible. So how do we solve this inherently all or nothing dilemma?

[@hurricaneofcats]

I think religion should be practiced in places of worship and not schools. It can absolutely be discussed in schools and students and staff can pray or wear religious clothing if they so wish. And it should absolutely be discussed in historical context or in classes dedicated to theology or religious studies. But religion is in many ways a personal pursuit and should be pursued individually, precisely because each religion and sect each preaches different truths. Schools teach a lot of truths to children but they aren't responsible for teaching every truth, some things people need to learn for themselves and don't need to be taught in a school setting and I feel like religion is one of them because it's so personal.

[@neoxyte]

Why can't we solve it by showing both view points in school and then letting children and their families decide at home? If that is too difficult to do or too risky, then maybe we should not discuss religion or God in public schools?

[@seanwebb605]

You say there is a magic tea pot in the orbit of Saturn. The burden of proof is upon you. If you say the tea pot tells us how we should live our lives then live your life that way.

[@Ringer5]

Evidence. In youre premise you said, "We all agree children should be taught the truth but we disagree on what the truth is." "We" as in educated critical thinking humans. We understand what truth is. "Truth" is a misnomer. We can only prove what we have evidence for. Everything in math and science isn't sacred, holy, or infallable. It can be replaced in an instant if it is disproven or modified. That is why collectively math and science are always challenged and scrutinized to the highest standard because we want to ensure we understand a subject to the best of our abilities. Peer review doesn't mean a group of people look at someone's work and agrees on it; no something that is peer reviewed is torn apart at every angle to be proven wrong before it is published. That is why Einstein was so groundbreaking for his time. He proved Newton's theory of gravity wrong. 230 years of established understanding of the universe overturned overnight. No Gods' scriptures and no kings' decrees should have the final authority on what is true or not when the best answer to an unknown is "I don't know." Children should be taught what we do know, but what we do know isn't found in the Bible. What YOU "disagree" with is fear and doubt. Fear that everything you believe might be wrong. Doubt that everything that you've been taught is wrong. Trust me, I know. I was a Christian for 25 years, been an athiest for 9 years and counting. It's difficult to take the first step into accepting that what you were told was wrong the whole time, but everything gets easier and you'll feel so much more liberated than Jesus ever did coming into your heart. Now you might be thinking, "He's not a real Christian." No-True Scotsman, and yes I was. God was real, Jesus was my friend and praying was my hobby. "But what if you're wrong?" Pascal's Wager. Thought the same thing, the fear of hell was the last thing to go. You have to stop and think of eternity in hell. God wants to punish me forever because I had dirty thoughts in high school or because I didn't donate to his church instead of feeding my family? "What is sin?" Why is god the ultimate athority to determine what is right and wrong? Because the Bible says so? That's rediculous the Bible is a mutilated mosaic book that is pieced together throughout 2,000 years. The epic of Gilgamesh is 4,000 years old. Once you understand after death "living forever" sucks, I'd rather be non-existant. Life becomes much more valuable when it only last 100 years and you know that there is nothing after this. Mass shootings become more sad, and the phrase "thoughts and prayers" sounds much more callous and heartless as a default response. Because of this, I want to hold my family closer. I want to protect everyone and give them a good quality of life instead of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," "hate the sin love the sinner," or "Atheist detected, opinion rejected." American Christians are some of the worst heartless fucks the world has ever produced. They are manipulative, greedy, and apathetic towards anyone who don't share their values. They want to clean everything with blood whether it's the blood of Christ, their ire's target, or from raped children it all depends on what their interpretation of the bible is that Tuesday. I'm sure my words have falling on deaf ears, because I know my old Christian self would be insulted, mad, and brooding, so I'm not going to hold my breath and expect a response.

[@rolffriis5149]

Teach it at home and in church. Or put your children in religious schools. It has no place in public schools.

[@r5t6y7u8]

2:00 For the millionth time, "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution. Ye gads I wish people would get that right. 3:00 7:00 Nor is there is any reason to bombard people with hate mail just because you disagree with them. I wish people would learn that too. In the 1980s our track coach would have a short prayer in the locker room before meets. We went along with it. This whole dispute is a tempest in a teapot.

[@neoxyte]

You are right that the words separation of church and state are not in the US Constitution. Many people believe it is but it is not! However, that doesn't mean that the constitution of this country does not enforce a separation of church and state. because doesn't the first amendment imply a separation of church and state? I think thee first sentence of the first amendment has something called the Establishment Clause. It says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." So yeah isn't the first amendment implying that? So Yeah I disagree. Separation of Church and State is in the constitution after all. I think even Thomas Jefferson, one of the greatest of the founding fathers would say that separation of church and state is in the US Constitution by the way. Jefferson explained the establishment clause of the first amendment his 1802 letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut. It is a great letter to read by the way. Anyways I am just some 30 year old from new jersey and I am usually more wrong that right. I mostly have no idea what I'm talking about so while I respectfully disagree with your statement, please feel free to correct me if I am wrong!

[@seanwebb605]

Except that it is. Buh bye!

[@Ringer5]

@r5t6y7u8 Separation of Church and State is in the Constitution. It's literally the first one. Amendment 1: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." If you don't know how to read, let me help you out here: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion; ..." This means the government can not favor one religion over another. This establishes a separation of church and state on a government level. "Or prohibiting the free exercise therof; ..." This means citizens, people like you and me who are not employed by the government, are allowed to worship who and whatever we choose. And the rest are about freedom of speech, press, assembly, and protest. Irrelevant to the current topic. So, for the 1,000,001th time, the separation of church and state IS in the Constitution. Zounds! I wish people would read and think critically before they parot the propaganda they're told.

[@TheRealSpeedWolf]

@@Ringer5 To think critically is not something you get from religious people; doing so goes against what they believe in by faith, which is based on nothing more than superstition.

[@Ringer5]

@TheRealSpeedWolf I know all too well. I used to be super religious. Even if I don't change the mind of the person I'm responding to. Someone else might see it and change their minds. I do my best to show that I'm honest and freely admit "I don't know" to a question I don't have an answer to rather than offer a non-answer like, "God has all the answers because all answers come from God."

[@MarcPagan]

Solution: School Vouchers.

[@marryellenmonahan5585]

Fund public education and keep religion OUT of it.

[@MarcPagan]

This issue is more than religion, it's choice. Or, should only rich Whites be able to attend the school of their choice via private schools, or moving? Save a child, bust a teacher union. Teachers, good. Their unions? Literal parasites. @@marryellenmonahan5585

[@XtoDoubt25]

​@marryellenmonahan5585 I have a legitimate question. We all agree children should be taught the truth but we disagree on what the truth is. You hold there to be no God, I hold the opposite. Because this is a zero sum proposition, God either exists or He doesn't, there is no compromise position possible. So how do we solve this inherently all or nothing dilemma?

[@nothingelse1520]

Only Nazis support school vouchers

[@MarcPagan]

School vouchers for any school desired solves this issue. @@XtoDoubt25 In Maine, the 6-3 decision in Carson v. Makin held that the state must pay for religious education as part of a school voucher program that provides stipends to students living in school districts too sparsely populated to have a high school. Would like to see Congress pass a law that requires any state or school district that receives Federal money, to offer school vouchers. Money should be attached to the student, rather than a student chase the money, and figuratively settle for the educational equivalent of government cheese.