>>>Exactly how are any child's rights violated by a prohibition on organized prayer in public schools?
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>>One BIG one, the 1st Amendment: "...free exercise thereof". We can't have it both ways. If praying in schools is 'congress establishing a religion' then judges, politicians and school administrators prohibiting prayer in school, or any place else, is 'prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." And, if we can prohibite the free exercise of religion we can also prohibite the remaining parts of the 1st amendment.
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>But prohibiting organized prayer, that is, prayer that is run by the staff of the school as part of the school day doesn't prohibit the free exercise of any student's religion (unless, of course, their religion requires that everyone believe the same thing and act the same way). No child is prohibited from praying in school, except when that prayer interferes with the operation of the school. As the joke goes, kids have always prayed in school - when they have a test. It's a joke, but it makes the point - students can pray as they want to; what's unconstitutional is the teacher (or principal or aide or ...) leading the students in prayer.
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>Tamar

"Free exercise" is FREE exercise, for either or the student or the staff. The Bill of Rights didn't mention any exceptions based on the individual's employer.
That 'joke' is no joke. The chilling effect of the last few decades on the freedom of religion has reduced it's "free exercise" to exactly what was the practice in the former USSR, and some states currently still existing: you can practice your religion as long as you are neither seen nor heard. As the 12 year old girl who was expelled from school for reading the Bible while she was riding on the school bus if she thinks she has freedom to exercise her religion.