Proposed Freedom to Pray Act Tries to Address Federal Funding Issue

Written by Don Byrd
Senator Mary Landrieu last week proposed the “Freedom to Pray Act,” a bill that “would prohibit the federal government from withholding or revoking funds to programs whose participants engage in voluntary religious activities.” The proposal is in response to a dispute over a youth program administered by the Bossier Parrish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. The program involves some element of prayer and oath to God and had been funded in part by a Department of Justice grant, administered through the state’s Commission on Law Enforcement.

Louisiana Bill Allows Student-Teacher Prayer Sessions

Written by Don Byrd
The Louisiana legislature has passed a bill that would complicate the issue of organized student prayer at school. HB 724 requires schools to provide space on request to students who wish to pray before or after the school day, or during the school day’s non-instructional time.

Students are of course already free to pray on their own or in groups in a non-disruptive way during non-instructional time. The space requirement appears to essentially raises any impromptu prayer gathering to the level of a school club in terms of access to meeting space. One other element of the bill causes more concern in my mind…

Repeal Effort Falls Short in Louisiana

Efforts to repeal the Louisiana Science Education Act fell short again last week when the state’s Senate Education Committee voted 3-2 to table the proposal. The legislation has been in effect since 2008. It allows teachers to bring in materials from outside the curriculum that are critical of scientific theories like evolution.

Brief Makes Religious Liberty Argument Against Louisiana Vouchers

Written by Don Byrd
Religious liberty advocates are joining the dispute over school vouchers in Louisiana. The program was ruled an unconstitutional diversion of funds away from the public school system back in December. In a friend of the court brief filed Friday, organizations including the Interfaith Alliance urged the state’s appeals court to affirm the trial court’s ruling, and gave them an additional reason: the program improperly funds religious exercise.