Critical Thinkers

Judge Blocks Prayer at High School Graduation

A student brings suit against his school district to stop a school sanctioned prayer at his graduation and a Federal (activist, no doubt) judge issues a restraining order against the prayer. Do the students learn a valuable lesson in the principle of separation of church and state? Or do they willfully ignore the judge's order and impose their religion upon everyone else at the graduation ceremony? Let's find out.

About 200 seniors stood during the principal's opening remarks and began reciting the Lord's Prayer, prompting a standing ovation from a standing-room only crowd at the Russell County High School gymnasium.

Looks like the students have learned nothing. No respect for the constitution. No respect for the legal system. No respect for those who don't feel they should have to listen to the "Lord's Prayer" just to go through their graduation ceremony. But it can't be all bad, can it? Some good must have come from this brave act of civil disobediance.

The challenge made the graduation even better because it unified the senior class, Chapman said.

"It made the whole senior class come together as one and I think that's the best way to go out," said Chapman, who plans to attend the University of the Cumberlands with her twin sister Megan.

Umm, doesn't she mean "it unified the senior class against the student who brought the lawsuit"? Or maybe they welcomed him with open arms and appreciated his attempt to uphold the separation of church and state and keep the state from imposing religion on its students?

Gabe McNeil said during a rehearsal on Thursday, other students booed the student suspected of filing the challenge when he walked across the stage.

"They've been giving him crap," McNeil said.

Whoops, guess not. But apparently, the rebellious kids have learned something from the experience.

Russell County School Superintendent Scott Pierce called himself a "person of faith" and said he was pleased with the response to the ruling by the senior class.

"This was a good learning process for them as far as how to handle things that come along in life," Pierce said. The response of the students showed an ability to be "critical thinkers."

Critical thinkers ehh? Let's look at some examples of their supposed critical thinking skills, shall we?

"In our little town, we've always had that prayer at commencement," said Brenda Hadley, owner of Anna's Garden [across the street from the graduation ceremony]. "Why not? That's part of our everyday life."

Ah yes, appeal to tradition, surely one of the critical thinker's greatest arguments.

The revival like atmosphere continued when senior Megan Chapman said in her opening remarks that God had guided her since childhood.

"More glory went to God because of something like that than if I had just simply said a prayer like I was supposed to," Chapman said.

And where would the critical thinker be without God to guide her along her journey through life. Everyone knows that the Bible is the critical thinker's, umm, bible.

And finally, some glowing praise from Superintendent Pierce:

"They exhibited what we've tried to accomplish in 12 years of education - they have the ability to make these compelling decisions on their own," Pierce said.

Wow. If this is considered the pinnacle of accomplishment after twelve years of public education, then we are in a world of trouble.