Prayer Room allows students to maintain faith
Posted Nov. 1, 2022
Cub Reporter
The prayer room, located in room 121, is now open and running after many years of offering students an opportunity to maintain their faith.
The prayer room has been in the talks for years now. This has been an ongoing project since Spring of 2018. The topic first came up when it was brought to staffs attention that students needed a place to pray during Ramadan, which is a holy month of fasting. When it finally opened, students were very excited.
In the past, prior to the prayer room opening, students had to either makeup prayer after school or pray in the hallway.
“Practicing my faith felt awkward, back then I didn’t have the space students have now which makes me so proud seeing how far David Douglas has come today,” David Douglas Alumni Ahmed Ali said.
At first students didn’t really know how to navigate to the prayer room resulting in tardiness and absences. Also, the response to the opening of the room attracted a lot of attention which created lots of traffic that contradicted the flow of school. It quickly became apparent to the school administration and staff acted fast. There are now also designated times that work wonderfully with students’ schedules.
"I decided to close the space for four days after meeting with my extended team," said Assistant Principal Rolando Florez. "I was asked to create and implement a protocol that could be communicated to students and staff in a clear manner. Problem behavior we witness includes arriving late to class, not returning to class in a timely manner or at all, grouping in the cafeteria and courtyard."
Students who choose to offer prayer are required to fill out a Google form and scan their ID card upon entering the room. Rules are strictly enforced to maintain the integrity of the school and the students of faith. Florez, Sun Program Manager Nicole Senders, and the Muslim Student Association (MSA) came together and developed a system for students to easily adapt to.
Although the south prayer room was being used more frequently last year, the north has been quite popular this year.
“It’s very accessible and very known so it easy to find,” said senior Idman Hamu.
The Dhuhr prayer time falls at the beginning of period 4 and 8 up until next month when daylight savings times end. After Nov. 2 the Dhuhr prayer time will fall in the middle of periods 3 and 7.