Dear Editor,

Can you guess what the two biggest problems school’s faced in the 1950’s and 1960’s? If you guessed chewing gun and talking out of turn, you are correct. Unfortunately, the problem’s our schools face today are much more serious. According to reports, drug and alcohol use have become a major problem among students. Violence and bullying seem to be happening everyday in our schools. Sadly, these things have led to students taking the lives of themselves and others. It is my belief that when we took prayer out of schools, we were asking God to step aside. In doing so, we were opening the door to evil.

I am a Christian and believe the Bible to be God’s word. Though it is often debated, the United States of America was built on these values. Many of our Found Fathers referred to the Bible in leading this nation. George Washington was quoted, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible,” So when did our country begin to fall away from these values?

Many people will argue that our country was built of free of choice and freedom of religion. They will argue that is was not the intent of our Founding Fathers to force Christian beliefs on anyone. I would agree with both arguments. However, the fact still remains this nation was built on Christian values. Why should those values have to change because a group of people disagree with them? If we truly live in a country with the freedom of choice, why then does prayer have to be removed from our schools. Why can’t people who disagree use their freedom and choose not to pray? Why does it seem that their freedoms are used to take away the beliefs and values this country was founded upon.

It is not my intention to push my beliefs on anyone. I believe in the freedom to choose, and fell that it’s every American’s right. However, I do feel that when we took prayer out of the school body, we invited much more than any could imagine. We need prayer back in school.

Chance Kaczmarek, 12, Russellville