Imagine you are at your college graduation. Along with traditions such as cap-throwing and guest speakers, you are expected to remain silent while a minister from the Church of Satan gives the benediction, leading the stadium in a mass prayer, giving thanks to "our Dark Lord" for your academic successes. Sound ridiculous? It's no sillier than IU's forcing Judeo-Christian prayers on thousands of IU grads each year.
Jan. 16, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district-court finding that having prayer at IU graduation wasn't unconstitutional.
The original case was decided in May of 1995. But unless they decide to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, this ruling effectively ends the legal discussion on the separation of church and state at IU, which is a state-supported institution.
The case was brought against IU by law professor Alexander Tanford and two law students. They were supported by the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, which said prayer at graduation served no legitimate purpose, endorsed a particular religious view, harmed those who objected to it and was an excessive entanglement of church and state.
Not surprisingly, Tanford vs. Brand had several legal precedents.From appellate courts to the Supreme Court, judges have consistently upheld the right of students not to be forced to hear prayers at middle and high school graduations. Why should college ceremonies beany different? In Bennet vs. Livermore Unified School District, the court said, "The practice of including a religious invocation in a graduation ceremony conveys a message of endorsement of the particular creed represented in the invocation, and of religion in general."
Even IU President Myles Brand admitted in his deposition students should have a right to participate in graduation without being subjected to religious prayers. Unfortunately, his colleagues didn't agree and cited tradition. Several aspects of IU graduation ceremonies have changed in recent years, such as adding graduation speakers and hooding Ph.D. candidates. It seems some administrators are more interested in pushing a certain religious agenda than upholding what they deem "traditional."
At past IU graduations, prayers have invoked "O, God," "Our Gracious Lord," and even "...your son Jesus Christ." Do phrases such as these really represent the diversity of religious beliefs (or lack thereof) on this campus? IU has students who are Buddhists, Muslims, atheists, pagans and many other religious backgrounds. Consistently having a priest, minister or a rabbi give a religious invocation automatically excludes the many students who do not believe in a Judeo-Christian god, and especially those who do not believe in a particular deity at all. I mean, if they're trying to reflect students' opinions on religions, why not have Yoda give the invocation, reminding us to "use the Force?" A lot more people were lined up last weekend to see "Star Wars" than to attend religious services.
Students who object to commencement prayers are compelled to remain quiet. They could just not attend, or make a scene and walk out, but how many people would do that? Who's going to go against the all-powerful IU, even if it is an offensive, possibly unconstitutional event at your only college graduation?
This issue doesn't even have to be resolved in the courts. If enough students protested, perhaps Brand would realize prayer has absolutely no place in the graduation ceremonies of a state institution. Instead of offending many students every year, commencement could simply be what it's supposed to be - a recognition of our hard work at this University. The religious trappings and prayers should be back where they belong - in religious institutions, not graduation.
Laura Taflinger
Friday, February 7, 1997
©1997 Indiana Daily Student