Richard Fowler: Alabama Leg. Approves Bill Requiring School Prayer

[WhoIsNumberNone]

A key committee in Alabama's House of Representatives has pushed through a bill requiring teachers and students at all of the state's public schools to spend 15 minutes every morning in Christian prayer, even though a majority of legislators present say they opposed the measure.

Alabama, of course, is a churchin' state, ranked the "2nd most religious state" behind its neighbor, Mississippi. Alabama is also home to Roy Moore, the state Supreme Court chief justice who fought to keep a massive stone sculpture of the Ten Commandments in the state court building.

But that stand seems lukewarm next to the current House measure's planned compulsion of religion among captive pupils. The bill passed through the chamber's education policy committee late last week, according to the Montgomery Advertiser:

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Munford, would require teachers to spend no more than 15 minutes in the first class of each day to read, verbatim, opening prayers said before a meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.

Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Indian Springs, chairwoman of the committee, said she heard more votes in favor of the bill.

"It's what I heard as chairman," she said.
Only McClurkin and one other Republican on the panel actually voted "aye" on the bill. Two Republicans and one Democrat insist they said "no" to the bill in the voice vote; three legislators weren't even present for the vote. The House's clerk told the Advertiser that "the chairman of each committee has the discretion to decide the outcome of a voice vote."

McClurkin also voice-voted through a bill "that would allow students to initiate prayer in school and express their religious views in their schoolwork."

[longship]

1. Cheat if you can't get what you want honestly. nt

[malthaussen]

2. Funny, I thought the USSC resolved this question 50 years ago. n/t

[paleotn]

18. nullification, baby!

....oh, that's right. The last time the Alabamer Reich tried that it didn't work too well.

[Swede Atlanta]

3. DOA as unconstitutional.........

This won't go very far even if it winds its way to a U.S. District Court or even on to the 11th Circuit in Atlanta. This is blatantly unconstitutional according to Supreme Court precedent.

You can set time aside in the school day for students to engage in personal reflection and can allow students that share a specific faith tradition to engage in self-initiated prayer or devotion but you must do so in a manner that does not intrude on the rights of other students to not participate. In other words, 10 students in the classroom cannot stand up and start praying and holy rollering around in the classroom if any of the other students choose not to participate. The 10 students may go to another room to do their mystical dancing if they want to.

The little sly thing about prayers offered in Congress is a red herring. They think they have something here...if it is allowed in Congress it is allowed in schools.

That is not true. Children especially are very susceptible, are not able to make "adult" decisions and are under the care of the state. As such even a prayer that may be constitutional in Congress or in a town hall meeting, etc. is not acceptable in a school setting.

Why don't the children pray and dance with their snakes and holy roller at home with Mom and Dad before they get to school?

[COLGATE4]

4. And, in response to your last paragraph in

your excellent analysis of why this is not permissible

[packman]

13. That is one funny song

love it - the song, not the snake

[COLGATE4]

15. Glad you enjoyed it! Your post made me

remember it.

[FiveGoodMen]

7. Shouldn't be allowed in Congress either.

[giftedgirl77]

5. Silly ass idiots.....

Wasting more time on shit that already has established legal precedent. I wish we could just roll up the bill & smack them on the head with it & tell them no.

[cali]

6. fucking stupid political theater for the consumption of the stupid fucking

electorate.

[rurallib]

8. Teacher, I would like to offer a prayer

"Lord, Save me from your followers. Soon"

[yuiyoshida]

9. So despite the fact that there is not much time

fully devoted to learning things, they can afford to take 15 mandatory minutes and shove a Christian prayer down the throat of any Jewish Student or any non Christian believing student, because according to the State of Alabama this is good stuff!!


You know if it was a Buddhist prayer..these people would be up in arms and over the Top.

[Glorfindel]

10. Buddhist? Hell, they'd be up in arms over a Roman Catholic or Orthodox Christian prayer

Here in the Darkest Deep South, anything that's not Southern Baptist is viewed with suspicion. Methodists are generally tolerated, but Presbyterians and Lutherans are quite beyond the pale. Everyone else is unquestionably hell-bound.

[yuiyoshida]

11. Well for sure there has to be some

Jewish kids in those classes. Unless it was so intolerable that the parents had to move out of state.

[TBF]

12. It's the first phrase of the

first amendment - you'd think they'd have a copy of the Constitution somewhere in that state ...

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

[Brigid]

14. One Word:

UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

[KansDem]

16. "...15 minutes in the first class of each day..."

Good reason to arrive late everyday!

[LarryNM]

17. They are Creating more Turmoil in Public Schools

to use as an excuse that Public Schools don't work.

[Moostache]

19. I wish I had means to move there tomorrow, enroll my kids and then become fake Muslims...

I would show up and lead my kids in praying and bowing to Mecca in the most obnoxious, public and showy way possible....complete with loudspeakers blaring that crazy Islamic singing call to prayer and prayer rugs and the whole scene....6 times a day, every day and as soon as one of them said ANYTHING about it, I would sue them and make veiled threats about the vengeance of Allah...

The complete irony of this would, of course, be utterly lost on these worthless rubes and their cynical overlords/masters; but it sure would entertain me to see Bubba, Cooter and Billy-Bob turn several shades of purple with religious hate and fervor as I spit out Koranic verses learned that very day for my amusement at their expense.

Religion is no longer a useful concept for humanity. It deserves total scorn and logical examination, followed by a quick and efficient mercy killing. Conservatives may want to drown the federal government in a bath tub, I'd rather shrink religion to that size...