Gun Problem or God Problem? Support for Teacher-Led Prayer in Public School and Solutions for School Shootings

Abstract

School shootings are typically followed with debates about their underlying causes and possible prevention strategies. These discussions often include laments about the absence of religion from shared civic spaces, particularly within public schools. Building on research connecting Christian nationalism to a worldview that rejects structural/policy-based interventions to gun violence and promotes “righteous violence,” we theorize a link between support for public schools to allow for teacher-led Christian prayers and patterned solutions for school shootings. We analyze data from a recent, nationally representative survey of American parents. Compared to most parents who reject any teacher-led prayers, parents who support teacher-led Christian prayers are more likely to endorse pro-gun and infrastructural interventions (letting teachers and administrators carry guns, posting police and armed security, installing metal detectors) but not structural/policy-based interventions (banning assault weapons, mental health screening). Tests for moderating effects reveal few consistent patterns, though some associations vary across political ideology. Findings affirm a link between support for teacher-led Christian prayer in public schools and solutions to school shootings that are more directed toward increasing gun access for “good guys” (teachers, admin, police, security) and limiting access for “bad guys,” but only on school grounds (metal detectors, not mental health screening or bans).