Remarks

Do you believe there is a God?

Why or why not?

Rachel Noble (11)

Yes, I believe in God. And why, is because I have seen Him move in my life and I have seen Him move in other people’s lives. But I believe He is a good God and that He loves us.

I don’t believe there is a God… there are tiny things here and there. Why would He let horrible things happen, like WW2? Just horrible things happen. Why would He let His creation go through that pain?

I genuinely don’t know. There are some things that can or cannot be explained by acts of God. I intend to figure out when I get there.

LISD can be more accomodating to religious practices

staff editorial

It can be easy to feel out of place in North Texas for members of nonChristian faiths. According to the Pew Research Center, Christians make up 78% of the Dallas metroplex, with 18% considering themselves non-religious, and 4% members of other faiths, such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

The majority of students in the district identify as Christian, so school can sometimes make non-Christians feel out of place. Failing to consider minority religions’ holidays makes these students feel like their religion is not important.

Muslim students are usually expected to keep up their academic performance during Ramadan, which includes a month of fasting. Because Muslim students are not allowed to eat or drink for the majority of the day, they’ll have less energy for school than everyone else. But they are still expected to give their all in class.

It isn’t reasonable or necessary to cancel school for the month of Ramadan, but teachers can be understanding to their Muslim students. Students should talk to their teachers and let them know when they need leniency. This can be as simple as being more considerate with due dates or offering compassion when a student falls asleep in class — fasting takes a toll mentally and physically, and kids can’t always fully show up when they’re doing it.

A 2003 Texas law requires schools to offer students a moment of silence every day to pray or reflect. During the month of Ramadan, Muslim students pray five times a day in a process called Salah. But the 60 seconds of silence offered every morning aren’t enough to accommodate Muslim students. The school day obstructs this prayer time that is vital to Muslim religious practices. At least two prayers are missed during the span of the school day.

In Islam, it’s forbidden to walk in front of someone praying, so Muslims often find a wall or window to face while they pray for at least five to ten minutes. Students should also be given a separate space at school to pray throughout the day that is more comfortable than a classroom environment.

The LISD academic calendar doesn’t give off for religious holidays that aren’t Christian. For example, Yom Kippur is the most important holiday in the Jewish faith. A time to atone for sins, it requires a day to forego food, bathing and electronics. However, the calendar doesn’t give students a day off. In a school where most assignments require electronics and lunch is an important break in the eighthour workday, a school environment is not ideal for Jewish kids. The district has a policy in place to not count absences on religious holy days against students’ attendance, however students still get behind in classes.

Just one day off for Yom Kippur by replacing a bad weather day would be a great start. For example, the bad weather day after Easter Sunday could be used in place for Yom Kippur in September. The district can make all students feel included by aligning the academic calendar with students’ religious calendars.

School should be a place where we are given the proper atmosphere and opportunities to learn. By being understanding, the district can cultivate a more inclusive learning environment for every student.