>>While individual students may not have been forced to actually recite the prayer, I imagine that in many places, the pressure on them to do so was significant.
>
>Ah, 'pressure', a somewhat less measureable mental property. Sort of like 'feelings' or 'self-esteme'. Hard to measure, but vicious when applied as a standard for behavior control, as our currently poltically correct society now attests.

The issue, as I've mentioned repeatedly throughout the thread, is that an authority figure was leading the prayer. Kids are told at home to do what the teacher says.

Let's try to imagine how it went in classrooms (or perhaps over the loudspeaker with the principal leading it, which is how our local high school does the Pledge every day - and has as long as my kids have been there):

"Good morning, boys and girls. Please rise and face the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance ...
...
For which it stands.

Now we'll recite the Lord's Prayer.

Our father, ...
...
as it is in Heaven"

Where in there does the Jewish or Muslim or Buddhist or Hindu or atheist or Zoroastrian child understand that he's excused from this exercise?

Anybody here go to a public school that started the day with a prayer? Anybody remember how it worked?

Tamar