The 20th Century saw courts removing the Bible and prayer from public school, but the 21st Century is seeing public schools embracing Muslim prayer in the building during the school day.
For background, read Christian Students Suspended for Appearance of Silent Prayer in Hallway
-- From "Green Bay, Wis.: School district gives prayer its own place for pupils of all faiths" by Patti Zarling, Green Bay Press-Gazette 01/01/12
A few residents have approached the Green Bay school district with concerns about the [Muslim] prayer time, worrying it takes away from learning and uses school resources to accommodate religion.
"The issue of students praying in school has come up a number of times this year, in part because we have an increasing number of students who practice the Islam faith, many of whom are Somali students," said Barbara Dorff, student services director. "It is our responsibility to find a private place for these students to pray and to allow them to pray."
About 170 of the district's more than 20,000 students this school year are Somali . . .
"They miss a minute or two of instruction; the loss is minimal," principal Mark Flaten said. "They don't miss any classes, and we have rooms that aren't utilized at that time.
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