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School Prayer Vote Could Come Today
February 1, 2012
The Senate is set to vote as early as Wednesday on a measure that deeply divides the chamber, allowing school districts to let students lead prayers at public school graduations, football games and other assemblies, as long as adults aren’t involved.
The version of the bill (SB 98) set for a floor vote doesn’t set out any limits on the inspirational message – messages that are sectarian, and those that are proselytizing in nature would be OK, drawing the opposition of some Jewish members of the Senate.
And, in deference to constitutional prohibitions on establishing a religion, just about anything would have to be fair game.
“Any inspirational message they want to do,” Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, the sponsor of the bill, said during discussion of the measure on the floor Tuesday.
Presumably, if a district were to approve a policy, and a student wanted to take the P.A. system at a football game and offer a prayer to the Goddess of the Earth or to Allah or a Wiccan deity, they would have to be allowed to do so under the bill.
“Suppose a first grader wants to do an inspirational message to Buddha, to Allah? ….Who decides who says what?” asked Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood.
As long as it is “inspirational,” and being voluntarily delivered by the student, it would have to be allowed, Siplin said. The bill doesn’t define “inspirational,” nor does it let school districts do that. In fact, it clearly prevents school districts from choosing what students are allowed to say or not say, spelling out that school district personnel “may not monitor or otherwise review the content of a student volunteer’s inspirational message.”
“So the inspirational message my little children would be hearing would not be up to the family….? asked Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach.
That is correct, Siplin replied. It would be up to the students at her children’s school.
And if she doesn’t want her children to hear any “inspirational messages” at school functions, what should she do? Sachs asked.
“Since school boards are elected you can vote against them next time,” Siplin responded.
The measure, which changed between the time it was heard in early committees and its arrival on the Senate floor, has a House companion (HB 317), but it has yet to get a committee hearing there. Some of the changes also alarmed opponents. Originally the bill was aimed only at secondary schools, but it was changed before reaching the floor to include elementary school students.
Another change opened up the prayers to any school event – originally it would have made it clear that prayers could only be offered at events students aren’t required to attend. Now the bill would allow prayer at any school event.
Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, said she couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want students to hear inspirational messages at the start of an assembly.
“Do you suppose opponents want, instead of to inspire little first graders, maybe they want to demoralize them?” asked Storms.
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
13 Responses to “School Prayer Vote Could Come Today”
When I attended elementary school, we prayed, we stood prayed, then said the pledge to the US flag. At that time, if you did not want to pray, or say the pledge, you were asked to stand and be respectful for those that did. Now there is no praying and very little respect. At least if a Muslim wanted to pray, I would respect that, although I am not Muslim, but they too should respect me and my Christian praying. Lessons in respect beg
an with prayers…
“Thinker” I could not have said it better myself.
And to “Neighbor”, please, I would rather you use your time for something productive. I’m am in no need of wasted words. Though I appreciate your concern.
I dont see whats wrong with a moment of silence and then people can pray to themselves all they want? Religion should be a very personal thing
@Neighbor
This isn’t GOD demanding prayer in schools, these are people. You (or they) can allude to “God’s will” until you’re blue in the face. It’s done for anything and everything, including honor killings, genocide, you name it. The reality is, “God” is a projection created by man of his own sense of his species’ need to survive. It has been miss-named and twisted by organized religion for power and control of the people. The Bible creators were all men. Men lack an overt expression of species love that motherhood gives to women. Witness the Vatican’s riches, witness the architectural edifices of the Southern Baptist Churches while people are homeless and impoverished. You play that game if you want. The nation is evolving away from that dangerous philosophy that seeks to divide people into “saved” and “sinner”. Simple human empathy is enough for the rest of us. Keep your religion out of tax-payer supported schools. Mathew 6:6
It is perfectly acceptable for those that wish to pray together to do so privately, but those not religious should not be forced to participate. We as Christian are free to practice our religion, but not force it on others. Imagine how uncomfortable as a Christian you would be if you lived in a largely Muslim area and were forced to participate in prayers to Allah. Minority citizens, whether they be a minority through race or religion, have rights as well and it is part of the governments job to protect their rights from being abused by the majority.
To: Thinker
Powerplay?? Are you serious? It’s not a matter if you are with US or against US. It’s if you are with GOD or against GOD.
Just remember the only true freedom comes through Jesus Christ!!
“I guess I wouldn’t believe in anything anymore if it weren’t for my lucky astrology mood watch.”
– Steve Martin
First understand that “freedom” means free conscience, freedom of thought, freedom of religion or none. You are free FIRST in your mind, whether the label you flirt with is Christian, atheist, agnostic, Buddhist, Muslim, Wiccan, or whatever.
So…given that, for a Christian to pray publicly and in concert with others of the same belief system is nothing less than a power play. The unstated message is “look at us, look how good we are” and “if you don’t do this, you’re not moral” or “THIS is the way to be”. It’s ostracizing, insensitive, rude, arrogant and anti-American. Your Bible says to pray in a closet (Mathew 6:6) and for good reason. Fascist Germany had such power plays well before Hitler came to power. “You are either with us or you are against us” is a paranoid fascist attitude. (look up fascism) Recognized this school prayer movement for what it is (a power play) and preserve American secular freedoms. Keep religion at home, in your mind, and religious house of worship. Respect freedom and your selves.
When I was in elementary school we were led in prayer in the morning before we saluted our great flag, we were led in prayer before lunch, and before we left school. I grew up fearing the Lord and the wrath of my parents if I did something wrong and if something was done wrong at school not only did I get a paddle there I got the belt when I got home.
I think a vast majority of us (30+) remember those days. The worst fight in school was a bloody nose and no one was called but our parents; not the cops, not DCF, and not the school counselor ready to tell my parents I needed to be on Prozac. Kids were kids, church was on Sunday and Wednesday nights, and I was in bed by 8pm during the school week.
Once we started policing people’s offensiveness to every little thing is when everything started to crumble. Schools are rampant with drugs, police, kids killing kids, and parents who think little johnny or susie can do no wrong so don’t you dare paddle my child.
I think a little God back in school wouldn’t hurt a bit.
To: freedomFROMprayerplease
When this country was founded all schools were Christian schools. Thats the problem with our country today. To many people like you want to get God out of everything. This nation became the greatest nation because we were one nation under God. Now, we have all these people that disregard His word and have rejected Him. We need prayer in schools and it is a crying shame that the adults can’t be involved. We need our young people to live for God and know that through prayer, they can communicate with their, and your, creator. I will personally be praying for you that God may open your eyes and your heart to Him so that you may come to the realization that you need Him.
They have Christian schools all over the place…pray there. Or you could simply pray to yourself. There doesn’t have to be a specific time of day that you have to stop and drop everything to do that. Seperation of church and state should be just that!! Why is that so hard to understand?
I wonder if the opponents of this bill don’t want ANY kind of prayer in school or if it is because their scared that their childern may have to listen to a prayer from a religion that is not their own. We say we want to teach our childern to understand and accept people for “who they are” because it will make the work better, but when who they are is…lets say Muslim, then we get defensive because it’s not our religion.
Growing up and going to many school functions and football games I’ve heard hunderds of prayers offered for the safety of players invloved and fans watching, but now that I think about it not once has any of those prayers opened with “Hail Mary, Mother of grace…” or ended with “Allah Akbar”, there would surely be talk and some sort of hell raised. By the way, I’m only using these two because I’m slightly fimilar with them but I think you get the picture.
Somewhere we took a far left turn in this country. Why are the rights of the few dictating the rights of the majority???? The ACLU will continue to de-moralize this country into oblivion!!!!
I am not sure that freedom OF religion also includes freedom FROM religion?? or does it? Thoughts anyone….