12 Students Suspended for Praying at School
 
A dozen students attending Heritage High School in Vancouver, Wash., located
on the state's southern border, were suspended on Friday for praying at
school.

Ten in the group were suspended for ten days while two received one-day,
in-school suspensions for holding a morning prayer meeting. The group has
now sought out legal assistance.

"This situation underscores the ignorance of school officials regarding the
constitutional rights of students," said Liberty Counsel President Anita L.
Staver in a statement. Liberty Counsel is a nonprofit litigation, education
and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom.

According to the group's statement, the affected students had met together a
few weeks ago to initiate a school prayer club. They were refused by the
school's vice principal, Alex Otoupal, who explained that they could not
meet in a private room.

The individuals, who met for about two weeks before 7 a.m., decided to pray
in the school cafeteria, instead, where an alleged Satanist student
complained to the school office. The area was considered to be a
well-trafficked area, and the prayer meeting supposedly would disrupt
education

The prayer group was instructed by the vice principal to go and pray outside
rather than in the cafeteria. The students persisted in praying in the lunch
room, however, because of the inclement weather outside. As a result, they
were suspended for ten days.

"It is absolutely outrageous that the school allowed one Satanist student to
exercise a heckler's veto over the other students' speech," said Staver.

She also noted, "Most of the students who were suspended are immigrants from
Russia. We must show them that America is still the land of the free. School
officials must immediately reverse the suspensions."

The group was given brochures about the rights and responsibilities
regarding prayer in school before the suspensions. They could pray in school
as long as they had a club advisor.

"This is not about prayer," explained Ann Sosky, principal of the
2,400-student high school, in the Oregonian. "They can pray, but they have
to follow procedure."

The twelve students will be assisted by Legal Counsel in an attempt to
resolve the matter.

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070303/26130_12_Students_Suspended_for_Praying_at_School.htm