Via Religion Clause, a week after voting to advance a constitutional amendment that would allow state funding of religious organizations, Florida's pre-K-12 Education Committee unanimously approved a bill that would greatly increase religious activity in the state's schools.
The Senate version (SB1580) reads:
District school boards are authorized, but not required, to permit the delivery of an inspirational message, including a prayer or an invocation, at a noncompulsory high school activity, including a student assembly, a sports event, or other school-related activity, if a majority of the participating students request the delivery of an inspirational message and select a student representative to deliver the message.
The St. Petersburg Times has more:
Under [the House version of the bill], teachers would be allowed to pray with children, behavior long frowned upon by opponents who say mixing faith and public schools marginalizes some students. . . . Versions of the bill (SB 1580/HB 31) have sailed through other committees in both the Senate and House.
