The Florida legislature yesterday debated a proposed prayer in school bill that would attempt to make it legal for teachers to pray with students in public schools. The bill has passed the state's House PreK-12 Policy Committee
Citing the conflict in Santa Rosa County, lawmakers said students should be allowed to pray at school. The proposed law would prohibit school boards from banning or censoring "inspirational'' messages at voluntary events and would protect teachers who bow their heads during student-led prayers.
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In a last-ditch effort to appease critics, the House committee stripped the word "prayer'' and "invocation'' from the bill Wednesday just before approving it in a 10-3 vote.But that did little to quell complaints that the bill creates the potential that students who are of a minority will be marginalized.
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Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, said the measure is inclusive, letting students, not administrators, to decide how and where the speech is expressed. "Students will figure it out,'' he said.
Students will figure it out? That's the plan? Because grade-school kids are so good at ensuring minority rights, avoiding peer pressure, coercion, etc…?
