Questions for those of you with high schoolers at home

[Okla-homey]

I got a graduation announcement from my nephew in Ardmore this week. I was somewhat surprised (and pleased) to see the public high school he attends (Plainview) is holding a baccalaureate service in a local church the night before the graduation ceremony. Is that common nowadays? I fear prayer and other religious shenanigans may be planned or otherwise breakout at said baccalaureate service. Should the ACLU be alerted for an emergency injunction to stop this despicable unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause?;)

[SoonerProphet]

I attended mine back in 1990 and was surprised to learn that Bill Banowski was also a product of FWISD. It is a voluntary thingy ma chig though.

[Okla-homey]

It is a voluntary thingy ma chig though.

Agreed, but the current test is whether kids feel any pressure to attend and/or left-out if they don't. And whether any school employees participate or assist with the organization "on the clock."

[47straight]

Bacc. services are usually unofficial. Of course I don't have your nephew's invitation in front of me to confirm, though.


The way it works in my hometown nowadays (it really used to be official and at the high school gym) is with a gentleman's agreement between the bigger churches in town of rotating hosting it. I don't see how the pressure to attend would be any different than an extracurricular FCA event or the like.

[Sooner24]

I got a graduation announcement from my nephew in Ardmore this week. I was somewhat surprised (and pleased) to see the public high school he attends (Plainview) is holding a baccalaureate service in a local church the night before the graduation ceremony. Is that common nowadays? I fear prayer and other religious shenanigans may be planned or otherwise breakout at said baccalaureate service. Should the ACLU be alerted for an emergency injunction to stop this despicable unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause?;)

Wow, is Evan already a Sr? I have not seen him in a few years and didn't realize he was ready to graduate.

Are they having the baccalaureate at Crystal Rock?

That is kind of the official/unofficial place to hold any funeral or anything else that requires a large amount of seating, in Ardmore

[soonerbrat]

I got a graduation announcement from my nephew in Ardmore this week. I was somewhat surprised (and pleased) to see the public high school he attends (Plainview) is holding a baccalaureate service in a local church the night before the graduation ceremony. Is that common nowadays? I fear prayer and other religious shenanigans may be planned or otherwise breakout at said baccalaureate service. Should the ACLU be alerted for an emergency injunction to stop this despicable unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause?;)



not sure, my kids are Catholic schoolers, so they always have one

[Okla-homey]

Wow, is Evan already a Sr? I have not seen him in a few years and didn't realize he was ready to graduate.

Are they having the baccalaureate at Crystal Rock?

That is kind of the official/unofficial place to hold any funeral or anything else that requires a large amount of seating, in Ardmore

yep, he's kolluj bound. the bacc. is at First Methodist.

He's headed to UCO which makes me sad. My cheapskate sister somehow thinks it will be cheaper than OU, and potentially less dangerous. That said, the squirt hit the ACT out of the park and is going to UCO for free.

[Sooner24]

yep, he's kolluj bound. the bacc. is at First Methodist.

He's headed to UCO which makes me sad. My cheapskate sister somehow thinks it will be cheaper than OU, and potentially less dangerous. That said, the squirt hit the ACT out of the park and is going to UCO for free.


He must have gotten his smarts from his mom. ;)

[Okla-homey]

He must have gotten his smarts from his mom. ;)


amen brutha.

[stoopified]

Apparently I am old because I recall we had our baccalaureate in school facilities with administration and faculty fully involved.I graduated in 1978...uh is there a statute of limitations or am I now headed to the gulag?

[Okla-homey]

Apparently I am old because I recall we had our baccalaureate in school facilities with administration and faculty fully involved.I graduated in 1978...uh is there a statute of limitations or am I now headed to the gulag?

You and I are exactly the same age. Under precisely the same Constitution we have now, every morning during homeroom, a student council kid got on the PA system and read the devotional for that day from "The Upper Room" followed by a brief prayer.

We also had prayers for the safety of the athletes before varsity games, led by a pastor from the press box. We also had prayers at graduation.

At the public college I attended, we had a blessing prayed by a student leader before each meal in the dining hall.

Alas, those days are gone. Consigned to the ash heap of history. And isn't it marvelous how kids behave so much better now in public school than we did?;)

Of course, they still open each working day in Congress and the Oklahoma legislature with a prayer. But that's okay, because those instances involve grown-ups whose minds are not subject to being unfairly convinced there may be something precious, relevant and practical to this "God stuff."