Illinois School Prayer: Moment Of Silence Could Be Back Soon
82 replies, posted
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[release][img]http://i.huffpost.com/gen/237581/thumbs/s-PRAYER-large.jpg[/img]
The injunction against the moment-of-silence law was officially lifted on Friday, according to a Tribune report. “This action means the Act is now in effect,” the State Board of Education told districts in a message. That means that the moments of silence will begin on Monday.
Illinois schools may once again be mandated to hold a moment of silence, as a highly controversial law will be back in effect pending a court order.
In 2007, the state legislature passed the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring schools to take a silent moment at the beginning of the school day. That law launched Illinois to the center of a national debate on prayer in schools.
The law was challenged by Rob Sherman, an prominent atheist activist, and his daughter Dawn. In 2009, District Judge Robert Gettleman ruled the act unconstitutional. "The plain language of the statute... suggests and intent to force the introduction of the concept of prayer into the schools," the judge wrote in his decision.
But in October of last year, a three-judge panel of the 7th District Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to overturn Judge Gettleman's decision. "Nothing in the text ... limits students' thoughts during the period of silence; the text mandates only one thing -- silence," wrote Judge Daniel Manion.
The dissenting judge, Ann Claire Williams, wasn't persuaded: "let's call a spade a spade -- statutes like these are about prayer in schools," she wrote in her opinion.
Nonetheless, the bench returned the case to Judge Gettleman, on whom it now rests to lift the injunction against the law.
Illinois schools officials are clearly readying for that to happen soon. In his weekly newsletter to the districts, State Superintendent Christopher Koch said to prepare for the ban to be lifted in the next few days, as the Chicago Tribune reports Friday.
Koch left it up to individual districts to determine how to implement the moment of silence, but as WBEZ reports, the appellate court gave an example of how to do it properly in its ruling: "making a school-wide announcement before the Pledge of Allegiance."
Chicago Public Schools have yet to decide their new morning schedule, but suburban Elgin plans to set aside 15 seconds before or after the Pledge.[/release]
Source: [url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/14/illinois-school-prayer-mo_n_809181.html[/url]
:Dawkins102:
oh no a moment of silence we are [I][B]fucked
[/B][/I]It doesn't force you to pray. hell in the title it says "[B]Silent Reflection[/B] and Student Prayer Act", I Doubt it's Required to pray during the Silent reflection moment. Though i agree throwing in the Student prayer into the title is a bit much.
Not worried. Most schools ignore it. Mine didn't even do the Pledge.
Incoming angry FP atheists.
It's a moment of silence, big deal.
My school all ready has a moment of silence, nobody gives a fuck to be honest.
I thought everyone's schools had moments of silence, Indiana schools have had them since the start of the Iraq War IIRC.
It's time taken away from education for religion. This shouldn't happen.
I would dance my ass off during that silence if it was implemented in my school and encourage everyone to do the same.
[editline]16th January 2011[/editline]
This minute of silence serves no purpose if you don't give it one, though. Whether its prayer, contemplation, relaxation, booty-shakin', ultimately, this isn't anything they couldn't do on there own time.
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;27463210]It's time taken away from education for religion. This shouldn't happen.[/QUOTE]Because a few seconds of silence means religion.
Aye, on the surface this all seems to be about prayers, but look deeper. Do you honestly think anybody's going to pray? Kids these days honestly don't care that much anymore. At most they'll shut up for a few seconds, not giving much thought to it.
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;27463210]It's time taken away from education for religion. This shouldn't happen.[/QUOTE]
"In 2007, the state legislature passed the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring schools to take a silent moment at the beginning of the school day. That law launched Illinois to the center of a national debate on prayer in schools."
Nowhere does it say it is for religion.
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;27463210]It's time taken away from education for religion. This shouldn't happen.[/QUOTE]
how much do you think you "learn" during the first couple minutes of class?
No problem with a moment of silence. I do have a problem with it if its directed at a specific God or Goddess. A moment of silence should not be directed towards prayer but merely doing what it says - being silent for a minuet.
I live in Illinois. I remember when they made us do this a few years ago and an atheist guy challenged the law and the court struck it down. The government needs a harsher penalty for continuing to ignore the Illinois Supreme Court.
[editline]16th January 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=David29;27463331]"In 2007, the state legislature passed the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring schools to take a silent moment at the beginning of the school day. That law launched Illinois to the center of a national debate on prayer in schools."
Nowhere does it say it is for religion.[/QUOTE]
It was a "wink wink" kind of law. It got struck down once already.
[editline]16th January 2011[/editline]
Heres an article about the last one being struck down almost exactly two years ago.
[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/education/22illinois.html[/url]
What? I always had moment of silence in all my schools from Elementary all the way to High school. I never really thought much of it. In fact no one really gives a shit about it, and most of my teachers just ignored it anyway. It's not that big of a deal unless you really make it into one.
[QUOTE=David29;27463331]"In 2007, the state legislature passed the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring schools to take a silent moment at the beginning of the school day. That law launched Illinois to the center of a national debate on prayer in schools."
Nowhere does it say it is for religion.[/QUOTE]
Silent Reflection and Student [B]Prayer [/B]Act
[QUOTE=Vasili;27463384]No problem with a moment of silence. I do have a problem with it if its directed at a specific God or Goddess. A moment of silence should not be directed towards prayer but merely doing what it says - being silent for a minuet.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. As long as they don't call it "a moment of prayer", it doesn't really mean anything. It is up for interpretation.
When I was in High School, we only had a moment of silence when something tragic happened, like 9/11, and it wasn't really a problem, just more of a respect thing. Having it every morning though, could get annoying.
[QUOTE=5killer;27463645]When I was in High School, we only had a moment of silence when something tragic happened, like 9/11, and it wasn't really a problem, just more of a respect thing. Having it every morning though, could get annoying.[/QUOTE]
This is what I'm saying, a moment of silence without respect to anything is, literally, nothing. Why have it?
[QUOTE=SkinkYEA;27463369]how much do you think you "learn" during the first couple minutes of class?[/QUOTE]
Uh, there will still be the first few minutes of class, it's just being displaced. Do you think this will make the teacher magically jump ahead in the lesson somehow?
[QUOTE=5killer;27463645]When I was in High School, we only had a moment of silence when something tragic happened, like 9/11, and it wasn't really a problem, just more of a respect thing. Having it every morning though, could get annoying.[/QUOTE]
It's not annoying, when I was in school it had been going since 03, and you kind of get used to it.
Hell, the silence doesn't last a few minutes where I live, more like 15-30 seconds.
Problem, angsty atheists?
what if i don't want to have a moment of silence
[QUOTE=David29;27463331]"In 2007, the state legislature passed the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, requiring schools to take a silent moment at the beginning of the school day. That law launched Illinois to the center of a national debate on prayer in schools."
Nowhere does it say it is for religion.[/QUOTE]
if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck..
[editline]16th January 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Vasili;27463384]No problem with a moment of silence. I do have a problem with it if its directed at a specific God or Goddess. A moment of silence should not be directed towards prayer but merely doing what it says - being silent for a minuet.[/QUOTE]
what's the point of have a silent moment at all if it's not for any apparent reason?
[QUOTE=SgtCr4zyAlt;27463961]if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck..
[editline]16th January 2011[/editline]
what's the point of have a silent moment at all if it's not for any apparent reason?[/QUOTE]
To pray, silly! :downs:
Here in Alabama we've had moments of silence every day since 9/11 stop whining
We have a moment of silence on mondays, but I don't know why.
I am an atheist and I have no problem with a moment of silence.
Vocal spasm during 1 minute of silent reflection.
Problem, religiousfags?
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What's wrong with this? Absolutely nothing.
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