The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools

• Introduction
• Patterns
• Over Time

The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools (Demographic Patterns)

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that no state or local government may require the reading of the Lord's Prayer or Bible verses in public schools. What are your views on this--do you approve or disapprove of the court ruling?

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Age (General Social Survey, 2006)

	18-30	31-44	45-64	65+	Missing	TOTAL
APPROVE	50.0% 192	39.8% 224	40.0% 273	29.4% 105	2	40.0% 794
DISAPPROVE	44.0% 169	52.9% 298	56.2% 383	67.5% 241	3	54.9% 1091
NO OPINION	6.0% 23	7.3% 41	3.7% 25	3.1% 11	1	5.0% 100
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 1
Missing	466	726	914	400	12	2518
TOTAL	100% 384	100% 563	100% 682	100% 357	18	1986

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Race (General Social Survey, 2006)

	White	Black	Other	TOTAL
APPROVE	43.2% 623	23.0% 65	40.4% 108	40.0% 796
DISAPPROVE	53.6% 773	71.7% 203	44.2% 118	54.9% 1094
NO OPINION	3.1% 45	5.3% 15	15.4% 41	5.1% 101
NO ANSWER	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 1
Missing	1842	351	325	2518
TOTAL	100% 1442	100% 283	100% 267	1992

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Religion (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	None	Other	Missing	TOTAL
APPROVE	31.8% 325	37.5% 186	86.1% 31	61.9% 197	50.9% 55	2	40.1% 794
DISAPPROVE	65.6% 671	53.4% 265	11.1% 4	31.1% 99	44.4% 48	7	54.9% 1087
NO OPINION	2.5% 26	9.1% 45	2.8% 1	6.9% 22	4.6% 5	2	5.0% 99
NO ANSWER	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 1
Missing	1305	618	42	421	117	15	2518
TOTAL	100% 1023	100% 496	100% 36	100% 318	100% 108	26	1981

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Gender (General Social Survey, 2006)

	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL
APPROVE	44.5% 388	36.4% 408	40.0% 796
DISAPPROVE	50.1% 437	58.7% 657	54.9% 1094
NO OPINION	5.4% 47	4.8% 54	5.1% 101
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.1% 1
Missing	1131	1387	2518
TOTAL	100% 872	100% 1120	1992

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Church attendance (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Never	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly	Missing	TOTAL
APPROVE	50.2% 245	44.0% 246	37.4% 119	29.9% 185	1	40.1% 795
DISAPPROVE	43.4% 212	50.6% 283	56.0% 178	67.0% 415	6	54.8% 1088
NO OPINION	6.4% 31	5.2% 29	6.6% 21	3.1% 19	1	5.0% 100
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.2% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 1
Missing	532	816	370	789	11	2518
TOTAL	100% 488	100% 559	100% 318	100% 619	19	1984

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Political ideology (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Missing	TOTAL
APPROVE	55.0% 291	34.4% 253	35.7% 237	15	40.5% 781
DISAPPROVE	40.1% 212	60.1% 442	60.8% 404	36	54.8% 1058
NO OPINION	4.9% 26	5.6% 41	3.3% 22	12	4.6% 89
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.2% 1	0	0.1% 1
Missing	651	947	806	114	2518
TOTAL	100% 529	100% 736	100% 664	177	1929

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The Lord's Prayer in Public Schools by Education (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Not High School	High School	Jr. College	B.A.	Grad Degree	Missing	TOTAL
APPROVE	19.8% 57	35.5% 346	37.2% 70	55.2% 197	68.1% 126	0	40.0% 796
DISAPPROVE	67.7% 195	60.8% 592	56.9% 107	41.2% 147	28.6% 53	0	54.9% 1094
NO OPINION	12.5% 36	3.7% 36	5.3% 10	3.6% 13	3.2% 6	0	5.1% 101
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.5% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.1% 1
Missing	403	1299	189	406	218	3	2518
TOTAL	100% 288	100% 974	100% 188	100% 357	100% 185	3	1992

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Notes

General Social Survey, 2006: The General Social Surveys (GSS) have been conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) annually since 1972 except for the years 1979, 1981, and 1992 (a supplement was added in 1992), and biennially beginning in 1994. The GSS are designed as part of a program of social indicator research, replicating questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time-trend studies. The 2006 GSS includes a topical module for mental health. Items in the 2006 GSS include questions on religious self-identification, denominational affiliation, personal beliefs, and religious upbringing.