Minnesota School Bus Driver Fired After Leading Kids In Prayer

by | Nov 7, 2013 | News | 0 comments

This is an open and shut case to me, but i’m not one that want any school official leading any sort of pray or religious based anything in the schools. Many in the black community seem to think differently and Edward Nathaniel III is in this group.

He falls in a long line of Christians in charge of various elements of the public school system who believe prayer in schools is a good thing and get frustrated when others disagree. If you are in a public school district in a black community, it is likely your child is being exposed to some sort of Christian activity be it prayer, Christian songs during music or during school plays. Many in the black community have no problem with this, but some do and believe religion should be kept out of schools.

nathanielNathaniel is a pastor of two churches in the Minnesota area. He also works a school bus driving ensuring the children get to and from school safely. He was fired last week after being repeatedly told to stop leading the children in Christian prayer during the bus community.

The 49-year-old minister worked for the Burnsville School District for two years as a driver and argues that he never force fed his praying ritual to his captive audience of elementary and junior high school students.

Instead, he gave them a choice, “I ask[ed] the students would they like to pray, and if they like to pray, then they can lead prayer themselves and then I will pray,” he said. “[On] a couple of routes, I had children that chose not to pray and that was fine.”

Nathaniel’s spiritual routine would last about seven minutes after the last child boarded the bus, “We start out with a song,” he told Gawker. “Then each person will pray if they want to pray. If they don’t want to pray, they don’t have to pray. Then I will pray and ask them if they want to join me in prayer.

Just give them something constructive and positive to go to school with.”

Source: http://newsone.com/2762160/edward-nathaniel-iii-minnesota/

Nathaniel acknowledges the school district warned him several times to stop leading the prayers. According to him, he didn’t get any complaints from the parents directly, so he continued and was fired.

In my opinion, Nathaniel doesn’t have a case. He didn’t adhere to the school districts warnings to stop, kept on praying with the children and was fired as a result. However, Nathaniel has said this isn’t over and he will be fighting for his job and right to pray with the children on the school bus.

Let me say, I applaud Nathaniel for trying to do something constructive with the children during the school bus ride. We all know the children can get a bit out of control sometimes, so this seems like a harmless endeavor, but that only applies to Christians in this instance.

If the bus driver were Muslim, Buddist or even a devil worshiper, then I am sure the Christian community would be singing a different tune. And as hard as it is to believe, everyone isn’t Christian, so many may not want their children being exposed to Christian prayers on a daily basis. It is just that cut and dry to me.

If Nathaniel wanted to do something positive and constructive, he could have sung positive based songs that have no religious overtones and then did motivational affirmations with the children instead of prayer. In a way, they are much of the same thing, but doesn’t have the religious overtones and disregard to the religious beliefs of others on the school bus and differing families.

How do you feel about this case?

Should Nathaniel be allowed to continue praying with the children or is he off, in left field and should not be allowed to do so? Let’s hear your thoughts on the matter.

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