School Prayer Bill Passes Final House Committee Stop

February 23, 2012

A bill allowing inspirational messages in public schools appeared to be on the cusp of becoming law Wednesday, as the last House committee to consider the bill approved the measure.

The House Judiciary Committee’s move sends the bill (SB 98) to the House floor; if it passes there without being amended, the measure would head to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature.

Supporters of the measure say that it simply restores the constitutional rights of students by allowing them to decide — without input from school officials — whether an inspirational message should be delivered at school events. Local school boards could decide whether to enact rules allowing the inspirational messages.

“The bill is sorely needed to protect students from the war against religious liberty and free speech,” said John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, which had voiced concerns about an earlier version of the measure. “The Florida ACLU, the Anti-Defamation League and other left leaning group’s opposition to this bill even after amended is intellectually dishonest, inconsistent with classical liberalism and really exposes their hostility toward religion as expressed by private citizens in the public square.”

But opponents say the measure is little more than a stalking horse for religious messages.

“The reality is, it’s nothing more than a euphemism for prayer,” said Rep. Richard Steinberg, D-Miami Beach. “It’s because we can’t say ‘prayer’ in a bill, because we know that the courts will strike it immediately.”

And that, they say, will land the state in court to defend the measure even as revenues for defending such challenges dwindles.

“Religious issues and government generate lots of litigation,” said Pamela Burch Fort with the ACLU of Florida. “And if this measure is enacted, it will invite litigation.”

David Barkey, religious freedom counsel for the Anti-Defamation League, labeled the measure “un-American” in a statement issued after the vote.

“Our public schools are about uniting children as Americans and not dividing along religious lines,” Barkley said.

Supporters pushed back on those notions. Rep. Charles Van Zant, the Keystone Heights Republican who’s handling the measure in the House, emphasized that nothing in the bill requires prayer.

“This bill doesn’t mention it — and I didn’t, either,” Van Zant said.

And KrisAnne Hall, a former prosecutor fired for speaking at tea-party gatherings two years ago, blasted the reasoning that the state should reject the measure to avoid litigation.

“Do not shy away from standing for constitutional rights simply because there may be a threat of challenge,” Hall told the committee.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

15 Responses to “School Prayer Bill Passes Final House Committee Stop”

  1. 429SCJ on February 25th, 2012 7:20 pm

    If I am at a football game and a Muslim starts to pray, I will respect that, and continue in my prayer. I am not offended by muslims praying I just want to be able to pray myself. Its a big field, there is room for the muslims to kneel and pray, and room enough for us christians to hold hands and bow our heads and pray. Whats the harm, there is no hate.

  2. David Huie Green on February 25th, 2012 8:21 am

    REGARDING:
    “- – - the Jewish faith around New York, We Baptist here in the South ”

    But then how is it that I know Jewish people here in Florida?

    What am I to do with my Methodist mother?

    What about all my many heathen cousins?

    Do they all have to leave me because you have declared the South a Baptist enclave? What kind of national unity would that involve?

    As an alternative proposal, perhaps we could let anybody believe whatever they chose and not enforce it by law. They don’t have to agree with me and thee even though we are right. We don’t have to agree with them even though they are wrong.

    David for letting freedom ring
    even if it’s only the end of class bell on Friday

  3. Tuf on February 24th, 2012 10:17 pm

    So, 429SCJ… Let me see if I am understanding your position here.

    If the Utah or New York legislative assemblies passed laws to allow Mormon or Jewish prayers to be given in schools because those faiths are in the majority locally or regionally, respectively, and your son or daughter were going to attend those schools because you had been hired in the area, you would be okay with your child having to hear (daily) Mormon- or Jewish-derived prayers that deny or conflict with your deeply held beliefs that are theologically Baptist? And you would be okay with it because others moving to the southern US would have to accept similar conflicts in their faith heritage and beliefs because the Baptist theology of the Christian faith is locally in the majority?

    When we talk about liberty, each person should have just as much right to exercise the faith of their choosing… Without having a local majority direct belief in the public arena. Otherwise, that is not liberty.

    America was not founded as a Christian nation. Instead, it offered religious freedom, and many who immigrated to the colonies and young nation simply wanted a free area to exercise that in worship.

    You might want to take a look at a letter written by George Washington to the Tuoro Synagogue in Newport, RI to get a feel for the early leadership’s view of this position on the issue of different faiths and individual freedoms related to personal faith in the fledgling years of our nation. When I read President Washington’s letter, I pick up a sense of welcome, respect, and most of all the gift of religious liberty to actually worship (in Jefferson’s words) “nature’s God.”

  4. 429SCJ on February 24th, 2012 2:13 pm

    National Unity, David what are you smokin on this gloomy afternoon. I look at the way the Mormon faith centeres itself around Utah, Muslims around Dearborn and the Jewish faith around New York, We Baptist here in the South as examples of a naturally occuring trend. Not to say many people of many religions are not randomly distributed about America, but there are many areas about the Nation this is occuring. People are tending to slowly concentrate along religous lines?

  5. David Huie Green on February 24th, 2012 12:21 pm

    REGARDING:
    “America was founded by Christians as one nation under God.”

    Actually, it wasn’t.

    For example, Virginia was founded by people looking for gold to get rich. They discovered they could get rich selling poisonous tobacco and were happy.

    The Pilgrims wanted the freedom to practice only their own form of religion but couldn’t stand the Quakers having another form of Christianity.It made them unhappy.

    The colony in what is now New York was founded to make money on the fur trade.

    Georgia was founded as a place to get rid of convicts.

    Most of those who came here willingly did so for freedom and profit. Those who came here unwillingly weren‘t asked. The children weren’t bound by the beliefs of the parents.

    When they decided to form a federal government after gaining independence, many of the founders were not Christians under most definitions of the word. They were very careful to avoid establishing a national religion and dogma.

    AND:
    “there should be a slice for the Muslim, a slice for the Hindu, one for the Jew and one for the Christian ect. Think of nuts and bolts, washers ect., if you keep them grouped properly everything is orderly, when you throw them all into one container, you have disorder. There should be a place for everything.”

    I disagree with the idea of segregating the nation based on religion and the idea that minorities should be pushed out by majorities. That would be taking away rights and leading to constant conflict and harm to national unity. (Imagine forcing Steve Jobs to stay in the Buddhist section for example.)

    David for accurate history and personal freedom

  6. 429SCJ on February 24th, 2012 6:29 am

    America was founded by Christians as one nation under God. This is a large Nation, there should be a slice for the Muslim, a slice for the Hindu, one for the Jew and one for the Christian ect. Think of nuts and bolts, washers ect., if you keep them grouped properly everything is orderly, when you throw them all into one container, you have disorder. There should be a place for everything. It’s not really that complicated. In the end the group that can exert the greatest pressure will prevail. God be with us.

  7. huh on February 23rd, 2012 6:42 pm

    So when you are at a football game and someone decides to lead a prayer for Islam, you can thank this bill.

  8. Thinker on February 23rd, 2012 5:09 pm

    This opens the door for our dear Asian Buddhist citizens and our darling Islamic citizens and believers in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Wiccans and ALL others (even Satanists) to express themselves equally in our schools. So be it. Prepare yourselves for this opportunity, step up and be heard. And thank you “liberal”, so true.

  9. liberal on February 23rd, 2012 12:01 pm

    Funny how Conserveratives are always saying less goverment. But when it come to freedom of religion, one of our most basic rights, They always fall on the side of pushing their reglious veiws on others. I for one am tired of it. Don’t pray in our schools and I won’t think in your church.

  10. mc on February 23rd, 2012 11:02 am

    This is too stupid to even comment about

  11. Kimberly on February 23rd, 2012 9:39 am

    Homeschooling is looking better everyday!

  12. JM on February 23rd, 2012 7:59 am

    I guess “all our rights” are as you see them, so how is that all our rights
    if some don’t want my religious messages in school? This is an old fight about
    separation of Church and State. There are a lot of different religious
    belief’s out there. I believe in the Holy Spirit, but not everyone does.
    I’m for equal rights for everyone, as I don’t ever want my rights stepped on,
    but that means I have to remember I am not the only one in this land.
    This is America everyone has the same rights.

  13. oak grove on February 23rd, 2012 6:38 am

    Our nation as a whole can’t be helped because to many adults keep violating our constitutional rights. This is a practice that has been going own for years. Everyone needs inspirational sayings,up lifting messages and encouragement most of all our youth. We all need to encourge them that there is more to life than what they see on TV, Movie, Games , Internet, etc…. It is every parents responsiablity to get the right message to their own children as they grow up. Not to say your child will always heed your teachings. Your in control of your house. They will grow up and be their ownselves. Always remember that what you have taught as a parent will sink in sometime in their life. We choose to do good or bad. A parent should never give up on standing for good, right, and teach always at home. This is not just about prayer in school this is about us and what we have allowed, and our parents have allowed to be put in to law. WE MUST STAND UP FOR ALL OF OUR RIGHTS……………………………………….

  14. 429SCJ on February 23rd, 2012 5:54 am

    If we have things like prayer and the pledge of allegence, children might develope a sense of of nationalism, that they were members of a country united. There are beings on this planet that fear nationalism. They use their financial might to pervert and twist at every opportunity, as it is their fathers nature, so it is their nature. They may deny the savior and curse his name, but just as their father, they themselves will say on the day of judgement, Jesus is lord. These demon spawn may heard us as cattle today, but the pit awaits them in the end.

  15. Becky on February 23rd, 2012 1:14 am

    By chipping away at our Constitutional freedoms, indeed, calling those of us who believe the Constitution is a living document terrorists, they succeed when we stop fighting for those beliefs that made us strong. I wonder if they know,or care, the part they play in weakening us until this nation is no longer able to support and defend ourselves?

    Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! KJV

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News