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School's Prayer Service To Encourage Performance On Standardized Tests Is Questioned

By Howard M. Friedman

The Baltimore Sun this week reports on the church-state questions that have been raised by the attempts at Baltimore's Tench Tilghman Elementary/Middle School to raise the performance of students on statewide standardized tests.  In preparation for the Maryland School Assessments this year and last, the school has held a 30-minute prayer service to culminate special Saturday test preparation classes.  Parents asked principal Jael Yon to hold the classes and prayer service as the best way to encourage and instill confidence in the students. Asked about the prayer service, city school officials said that "while we as a district understand that prayer plays an important role for many in our school communities ? it is not appropriate for public institutions of education to promote any particular religious practice."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 15, 2011 (boomark / email).