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School Prayer Bill Passes Senate, Heads To House
February 2, 2012
The Senate on Wednesday passed a measure that will allow school districts to let students offer inspirational messages, including prayer, at school events as long as adults stay out of the way.
Passage of the bill (SB 98) on a 31-8 vote sends it to the House, where it is thought to be likely to pass. The bill was sponsored by a Democrat, Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando, though all those who opposed the bill were Democrats.
Its approval came over the objections of senators who said the measure will lead to prayers at school events that students can’t get out of, including possibly in classes, and that some young students will have to listen to prayers or risk being ostracized because they come from a different religious tradition than most of their classmates.
“I implore you to protect minority students … and not promote alienation,” said Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. “We want our public school students to get along.”
But backers of the bill said the measure is needed to protect the religious freedom of students, some of whom now feel they aren’t allowed to offer prayers that the student body, or a large part of it can listen to – that they’re only allowed to pray to themselves or in small groups.
In that way the bill is about freedom of expression – the right of students to be heard when they’re expressing a religious message, said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart.
“This is about protecting the rights of students to talk,” he said, saying that he rejected the notion that “religious expression should somehow be eliminated from the public square.”
Negron said efforts to remove religion from public discourse have resulted in discrimination against the religious – preventing them from expressing their beliefs in public while at school events.
“I don’t park my religious beliefs, my political beliefs, my economic beliefs, my sports beliefs – you don’t park your rights at the school door,” Negron said. “The reasons Sen. Siplin has to do this bill is these rights are being trampled.”
Many of those who spoke against the bill on the Senate floor were Jewish, including Sobel and Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, who said she remembered that in the Miami Beach of her childhood there were establishments with signs that said “no dogs, no Jews, no blacks.”
“The same feelings of exclusion come welling up” with the bill the Senate debated and passed on Wednesday, she said. “Anyone who doesn’t go along with it is considered the other. This is especially true with children. Anything that makes you different can subject you to ridicule and abuse.”
Rich and several other opponents noted that the constitution protects the rights of children to pray now.
Siplin reminded colleagues that the bill is permissive – school boards don’t have to allow anything, if they don’t want. And the measure doesn’t represent government dictating any type of religious message, because it specifically says that teachers and other school personnel are prohibited from having anything to do with the message. The choice to offer an inspirational message at a school event would have to be up to the student, and no adults would be able to censor what it is the student wants to say.
One supporter of the proposal, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, while speaking in favor of the bill, warned his colleagues that in order to support the measure they had to accept the notion that those messages may not always be a Christian prayer, or even a Jewish one. With adults not allowed to tell students what they can or can’t say – some messages could be unsettling.
“At a graduation ceremony a student might stand up and say I give my thanks to Allah, and let me explain why,” said Gaetz. “A student might stand up and say I’m a Wiccan and let me explain why. We have to be prepared for the full expression of religion and I am.”
All eight senators voting against the bill were Democrats: Sens. Audrey Gibson, Arthenia Joyner, Gwen Margolis, Nan Rich, Jeremy Ring, Maria Sachs, Chris Smith and Eleanor Sobel.
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
15 Responses to “School Prayer Bill Passes Senate, Heads To House”
Your kids can pray in school all day, all they want quietly to themselves. Why must you force everyone else to hear it? Or be a part of it?
As for why its law
‘The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The Supreme Court did not consider the question of how this applied to the states until 1947; when they did, in Everson v. Board of Education,”
Ask yourself why this insistence on shared prayer spoken out loud? This is a power play by the religious right, plain and simple. Silent prayer, private prayer, once-a-day prayer at home, all these are acceptable (and yes, accepted “back in the day”). Respect for the diversity of thought in our schools MUST be a priority. If the Christian God exists then silent prayers are heard also.
REGARDING:
“Even a great thinker such as Jefferson was can be mistaken from time to time. Remember your history. Jefferson believed in “states rights” and that they had the right to withdraw from the union if the federals gained too much power”
Jefferson was right. Some states did withdraw. The remaining states made war on them and conquered them and forced them to agree to not withdraw again as a term for ending occupation.
Lincoln pretended it was a civil war, but the Radical Republicans understood it was a war between states, or nations and when Lincoln was removed from life, they had free rein. To the victor go the spoils.
David in the aftermath
@considerthis:
It is in the first amendment and was highly debated during its development for there were those who wanted to put religion in government as it was in England, but some knew the problems with doing so. The problem is today people commonly say ’separation of church and state’ which is not the wording of the first amendment but it is its intent, and Jefferson stated in his letter to the Baptist in explaining the first amendment. Imagine if we had selected a religion to establish in government it would have probably been a Puritan or Quaker style of Protestant religion. The Baptist of the day supported the separation for they knew it was to their detriment to do otherwise.
First Amendment:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Any Christian who is interested in following the example of Christ will not be drawn in to public demonstrations of “faith”, but will reserve their devotion for privacy.
BPD for as it should be
This is nothing more than a ploy to get politician’s names in the news. In the 50’s when I was in elementary school, we said the pledge every morning. One boy (Jehovah’s Witness) would not stand or say it. No one thought anything of it. No one that I know of even cared.
If you want to pray, (since obviously God doesn’t know your need unless you tell him whats good for you) go for it. Might want to do your homework and a little study as a backup.
I’m sure it is possible that some the founding fathers were not Christian. That would explain why they felt it necessary to protect the rights of citizens whose beliefs differed from their own. As I didn’t personally know any of them, I can’t say what their beliefs in their God was. I do know, by the legislation they passed, they respected faiths, or lack thereof, other than their own. This shows a tolerance that would be uncommon in todays world for people with different ideals.
As far as Jeffersons’ letter to the Danbury Baptist. This is a letter expresses one mans’ opinion and is in no way a legal document. Perhaps the Federal courts should pay a little more attention to the constitution and less to personal opinions. Even a great thinker such a Jefferson was can be mistaken from time to time. Remember you history. Jefferson believed in “states rights” and that they had the right to withdraw from the union if the federals gained too much power.
“…and I believe in God’s command to ‘love thy neighbor as thyself.’” – Barack Obama – Nation Prayer Breakfast – February 2nd, 2012
REGARDING:
“You say no place that accepts US tax dollars can sponsor a religion? Are you saying Bible book stores, Churches (yes they accept your tax dollars for Missions)), NASCAR (they have an invocation before every race), this is just to name a few cannot sponsor a religion?”
Just a guess, but huh probably means organizations which accept money from the government, not payment in US dollars. Note that huh said “USA tax dollars,” that is money which was paid in taxes and is therefore a government payment.
The general idea is that the government can not give money to religious organizations for the purpose of furthering their religious beliefs. If they did, we would want opposing religions sponsored, some would want Christianity sponsored, some would want Islam, some would want Scientology. Even within the subset of Christianity, some would want Catholicism sponsored, others would want Unitarians sponsored, some would favor Mormonism (assume it applies). Most would be opposed to a particular sponsorship unless it happened to be their own. And I shouldn’t want nonbelievers forced to pay for the support of my church or any other.
Far better to let each pay or not pay for personal preference and definitely don’t say, “Well, 51% favor Wicca and 49% don’t — so your taxes will pay for Wiccan services.”
David for avoiding entanglements,
lest religion mirror government
to its detriment
KUDOS “MICHELLE D!”
That is what’s wrong with our country today so many have taken “CHRISTIANITY” out of the land of the free. I pray that the House will PASS the bill which will allow “PRAYER” once again in our school system and school functions. If you do NOT like it, then get up and leave. This country was founded on “CHRISTIANITY”, therefore why should we have to sacrifice our beliefs to suit everyone else. They have their beliefs and religion, so why can’t the AMERICANS? We certainly don’t go over to their country and try to change things such as their culture and/or beliefs! We either become accustom to them or we leave.
I am NOT opposed to anyone practicing their religion or beliefs by any means, because they are entitled to that. My problem is why do they continuously try to change our country to fit their needs. Why can’t we all just agree to disagree and respect each other’s beliefs and/or religion?
“IN GOD I TRUST!”
So much for separation of church and state. We don’t need public prayer in school! If a child wishes to pray, they’ve always had the ability to do so- silently and to themselves!!! They can do this before they eat their lunch, or before a test. A student body can call for a moment of silence…at which time, a silent prayers can be made by any one!!
Our country’s economy is in bad shape and it wasn’t caused by not allowing children to openly or formally PRAY in school! We can all ask in prayer for economic recovery or whatever it is you want or feel.
Worry MORE about the quality of education our children are getting!!!
Thomas Jefferson:
Believing that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their Legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church and State (Letter to the Danbury Baptists, 1802).
Remember, Baptist of the time were for this since they were a minority and would have been discriminated against if a religion was established in government, for then it becomes which one, and in Christianity, which sect? This bill discriminates against all those who are not Christian, such as Jews, and others. Before anyone says we are mostly Christian by population, remember this is not a policy of majority rules on the principles established in our founding documents, and several of our important founding fathers were not Christian: Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Adams, Paine and probably Washington based on his actions and what the pastor of the church he attended with his wife said about him. Later on we can include Lincoln and Grant to the list.
I ask you this *huh*. You say no place that accepts US tax dollars can sponsor a religion? Are you saying Bible book stores, Churches (yes they accept your tax dollars for Missions), Nascar ( they have an invocation before every race), this is just to name a few cannot sponsor a religion? I believe if the kids wanna pray, LET THEM PRAY! That is what is wrong with the world today, NOT ENOUGH PRAYER!
“huh”,
Please document where the declaration “seperation of church and state” is in the constitution, or any amendment passed by congress since the constitution was written and implemented.
Also, you say that “no place that accepts USA tax dollars can sponser a religion”. Do you imply that homes(place) that receives welfare, food stamps,
Social Security, have children in public schools, etc. cannot affiliate themselves
with any form of religion?
Separation of church and state, no place that accepts USA tax dollars can sponsor a religion.