Posted on 05/02/2002 6:37:12 PM PDT by ATOMIC_PUNK
Ohio schools get moment of silence
At least a dozen states have debated whether to require a daily moment of silence in public schools in the aftermath of Sept. 11 and a U.S. Supreme Court decision last October against hearing a challenge to Virginia's law.
“These bills were clearly something that was a popular first response to the crisis in our nation,” said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. “And, after Virginia, we expected we'd see a slew of them.”
Before last fall, nine states already had laws that required a daily silent minute in schools. Many modeled their laws after Virginia's, which makes the moment mandatory and lists prayer as an option.
The Supreme Court has outlawed mandatory school prayer, but courts have said states may require silent periods as long as students are not forced or encouraged to pray.
Critics argue that such laws still threaten the Constitution's separation of religion and government.
“When educators set aside a time for reflection, that's not just providing the opportunity, that's encouraging prayer,” said Raymond Vasvari, legal director of the Ohio branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
The sponsor of Ohio's bill said students became confused because they didn't know they were allowed to pray silently in school and weren't told they could do so, even though elected leaders prayed publicly after the terrorist attacks.
“It's kind of sending a double standard message,” said Rep. Rex Damschroder, a Republican from Fremont. “Every student across the state should have had that time to think about what happened to us.”
Teachers in Ohio and other states already are allowed to set aside silent periods. Some say states should put the permission into law, to ease teachers' fears of violating state and federal constitutions.
Ohio lawmakers debated for seven months whether to include “pray” and require the silent period. Local-control advocates pushed for the decision to be made by school boards.
Their counterparts in other states, including South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Indiana, New Mexico, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri, haggled over the same issues.
In Oklahoma, Rep. Russ Roach, a Democrat from Tulsa, said lawmakers can't agree on the wording in his bill, including whether “religion” and “prayer” should appear.
“I don't like mandating it,” Roach said. “Unfortunately, a lot of our gung-ho members want just that.”
Supporters argue that schoolchildren can use the time to do anything they wish — including staring out the window — as long as they are quiet.
“It's merely an opportunity for the individual to exercise his or her own freedom of conscience,” said Stephen M. Crampton, chief counsel for the American Family Association's Center for Law and Policy in Mississippi. “It's not about forcing predisposed views about religion down people's throats.”
The National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union, does not oppose the silent periods as long as the federal government doesn't mandate them, it's a true minute and a teacher's role is passive.
Karen Darner, an elementary schoolteacher and a Virginia House delegate, said many of her fellow teachers see the minute as just one more thing teachers must include in their already full days.
“It's the longest 60 seconds of the day,” said Darner, a Democrat from Arlington. “But we do it because the law says we have to.”
Katie Marco, a senior at Cuyahoga Falls High School in northeast Ohio, said she would welcome a daily minute where she could ask God to help her get through her day.
“It's a nice idea, but I think kids wouldn't respect that time for everyone,” said Marco, 18, a Methodist who often says a silent prayer before exams.
In Fremont, Sherry Sprouse's children — ages 14, 16 and 25 — attend the Church of Christ three times a week. Sprouse believes that they, as well as others who might not be as exposed to religion at home, would benefit from even one more minute each day to pray.
“Kids would have time to reflect on how lucky we are and how many blessings we have on the Earth,” she said. “A lot of these kids do not know God at all. It's kind of a way to have some discipline back into their lives.”
Should have the same rights to their prayers on government grounds as any other religion -- it is, after all, a freedom of speech issue, no?
But prayers to God are only allowed one minute. Satanism gets the rest of the school day.
Wisdom and knowledge begins with the Lord and ends outside the schoolhouse door. www.HezSez.com
Thats true. She still has to find time to read, do her nails, pay her bills, chat, take an afternoon nap......
Exactly. One minute of demonic torment. I like it!!!
And yet, passing out condoms does nothing to encourage teenage sex.
Yours in Truth,
The ACLU would know, since they spend so much time contemplating their own navals. I guess that's a religious activity to them.
What a crock. It is in statements like this that the ACLU's true agenda is revealed. They make you believe that what they are worried about is children being forced to pray in a certain way and by a particular person, and then you hear the truth -- they're against prayer period.
Buggman: And yet, passing out condoms does nothing to encourage teenage sex.
BRILLIANT! BUMP!
Eternity without Christ is a HELL of a long time.
Well, maybe not exactly. The Lord can do more with that minute the satan can with the other 1439.
Just proves to me everybody believes in God. They have to believe in Him in order to be afraid of Him and choose against Him. Some are just too afraid of Who He is. There are 1440 minutes in every 24 hour period. 1 / 1440 of every day devoted to prayer by all the Christian school children could have wonderfully fantastic results on all the rest. Trust the Lord to hear and open closed ears of many. Today 1 / 1440 of a day, tomorrow, even greater results. One minute a day times thousands of kids prayers, this is exciting to me. No, it's not the only answer, but it is a start. A foot in the closed door. Perhaps a blessing out of the horror of 9-11.
And never forget, one day soon, Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. He won't have to wait for a law to be passed in each state allowing His coming for His own and coming again to rule as this world has never been lead before. Come Lord Jesus.
Is this teacher as hyper as the children?
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