scigirl

<a href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_prae.htm" target="_blank">http://www.religioustolerance.org/ps_prae.htm</a>

Not much at all about colleges, although I don't see why the rules wouldn't apply to them as well. It must vary among states, and also the enforcement of the rule depends on the current administration. At my recent college graduation, the Dean of Native American Studies recited a prayer in her native tongue, than translated. It was actually pretty cool, but probably illegal.

Hey, that site above has a blurb from my state!
Way to go montanans! Hee, stevensville has like 3 people in it. Ok I guess it must have 6, if there was a 3 - 3 vote.

At my brother's ceremony (the RAGE one above), there were no prayers. But the speaker did mention God and faith. So did the speaker at my ceremony--a nurse too. She said, "You must keep your faith in a higher being, no matter what name you call Him or Her." Yeah whatever. I was way more offended by that statement than the prayer, I think mainly because prayers are sort of a formality, but the speeches are supposed to be real and true advice for us grads.

That brings up another point: Can the speaker at graduation be allowed to give religious advice? Should they screen the speaker's notes? What is more important: the free speech clause, or the no-estabishment of religion clause, of the 1st amendment? Interesting. . .

scigirl

scigirl

<a href="http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/gater/fall97/oct9/Prayer.html" target="_blank">http://www.journalism.sfsu.edu/www/pubs/gater/fall97/oct9/Prayer.html</a>

There's one about some colleges anyway. Looks like it's just as messy and hairy as the high school scene.

GaryP

It seems to me that if the speech is given by a student because he/she is valedictorian or is receiving some special honor, it is a matter of free speech.

IMO, it would be the same for the invited speaker.

However, if the speaker is a school official, I don't think he/she should make any pro or anti religious statements.

In a school district near me a couple of years ago, the main speaker was the president of the school board. He was so proud of telling his graduates that the "most important thing in life is keeping a strong faith in God" that he wrote it in a letter to the editor just in case any of the students slept through it, I guess.