A Conundrum: Where do you stand on prayer in schools? I personally have no problem with religious students praying voluntarily, even if it is within earshot of my son. I don't believe he will be contaminated. But kids being told they must pray with the class -- before lunch, for example, as I was forced to do in the South as a kid -- is over the line. Just one of the many areas where I hew pretty close to the liberal line, right?

Maybe not.

My son has recited for me the words that he and his fellow students are told to say before their lunch. Bear in mind that he goes to school in the most liberal town (ok, maybe the People's Republic of Cambridge beats us) in the great liberal Commonwealth of Massachusetts. And in this enlightened situation one finds compulsory prayer in school? Yep. But here's the escape hatch: It's a prayer of thanksgiving to the Earth.

Memo to the progressive left, in orbit somewhere out near S/2005 S1: Talking to the Earth is either religion or plain looniness. They are certainly not mutually exclusive, but there is no third option.