You’ll never see me praying with my students, for one simple reason.
It’s not because of any legal reason – indeed, the Supreme Court recently allowed that student prayer led by a teacher is legal. It’s not because of any difference in religion – I would feel precisely the same whether or not I shared the exact faith with every student participating in a prayer.
It’s this: I want every single student to feel welcome in the spaces I create. We live in a diverse and open society and I don’t want any student to feel coerced, shamed, or bullied into participating in a prayer, or to think that participation is a prerequisite for success in my group. I don’t want to use my position to try to sway the religious beliefs of any student.
Being a leader of students is a role that I take very seriously, and one that I believe carries tremendous responsibility. Responsibility for what I do teach, and responsibility for what I don’t teach.
I deeply respect your right to pray in whatever fashion you see fit – nothing could be more American than that right. But I also think that any teacher who chooses to pray with students is crossing a line of responsibility.