I think merit pay should only be given if a teacher is working toward self improvement in teaching/education. A teacher who attends educational workshops or classes to improve their teaching deserves a pay increase. That teacher is improving personally and professionally, which benefits the students that teacher instructs. The teachers who have been with a school system for years and have not attended a workshop or class should not be given a merit raise. By only providing a merit raise to the teachers that want to expand their knowledge, it might motivate the other teachers that become "comfortable" in their job. Years of experience, sponsorship, coaching, etc., shouldn't be qualified under the merit pay. Sponsorships and coaching usually has its own separate pay scale that is combined with the teachers salary. And these positions only last a few months. But the years of experience combined with educational workshops and classes would benefit the teacher, students, and school system.
As for the other debate tonight: Have Public Schools Adequately Accommodated Religion? I would have to say no. I know there has always been violence in the world, but I have to stop and think, if we brought religion into our school systems (prayer, commandments, "God", etc.) at appropriate times maybe we could instill some values into the students who need this direction. The American society was built on Christianity, our founding fathers used it when they signed the Declaration of Independence by referring to God. Just because the minority of society has different religious meanings doesn't mean that the majority of society has to change to accommodate them. Don't we go by majority rules when it comes to elections? Why can't we leave it up to the majority of society to decide on whether religion should or shouldn't be in public schools.