New law requires quiet time before start of the school day
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After reading this article a few times I am still confused why the state had to prescribe a quiet time before school. Specifically taking this paragraph: "Beyond observing silence, teachers and students are not required or prohibited by the law from engaging in any specific activity except the conducting of a religious exercise. Thus, teachers could theoretically grade papers or sit with their heads bowed. Students could complete workbook pages, fold their hands in prayer, or close their eyes and put their heads down on the desks. "
If the state or BETTER YET the parents of students are concerned about the mental health of their kids, they should have the kids get up 15 minutes earlier to observe their 'quiet time' in their own home before they head to school.
Link: http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/bolingbrooksun/news/616087,6_1_NA26_SILENCE_S1.article
Full article:
Is silence golden?
New law requires quiet time before start of the school day
October 26, 2007
By LOUISE BRASS Staff writer
To pray or not to pray. Thanks to a new state law, that is the question for Bolingbrook public school students every morning.
A moment of silence is now required at the start of every school day. How to use the silent time is up to the students themselves.
The Illinois House of Representatives on May 31 voted 86-26 in favor of the moment of silence. Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed the bill, but the veto was recently overridden by both chambers of the General Assembly.
Students might use the time to gather thoughts about the coming lesson, consider their more distance futures or meditate on what's for lunch.
They can look out the window and enjoy the sunlight, close their eyes and daydream, or silently ask for God's blessings.
It's up to them.
Or, the moment of silence can simply be enjoyed as a timeout from the noisy babble of car radios and iPods.
Valley View School District 365U board member David Carlson said that the new law does not encourage nor prohibit a student from using the time to think about their faith or pray silently. However, they could do that anyway, he said.
"Kids can do that now, whatever religious belief they hold," Carlson said.
For many students, a moment of silence can be golden.
"Obviously, self-reflection is part of the development of a human being, whether you're an adult person or a student," Carlson said.
It is a practice that home schools and private schools use frequently, said Diane Merchadante, director of pastoral ministries at St. Francis High School in Wheaton, where prayer times are held every day.
"Even if they don't use the time to pray, just from a mental health standpoint, it's good. I think it's a benefit for students because there are so many voices coming at them all the time from computers and technology today," Merchadante said.
The new law should be easy for teachers to administer, but in case of questions, the Valley View district released guidelines, including the following statement, for observing the new rule:
"Beyond observing silence, teachers and students are not required or prohibited by the law from engaging in any specific activity except the conducting of a religious exercise. Thus, teachers could theoretically grade papers or sit with their heads bowed. Students could complete workbook pages, fold their hands in prayer, or close their eyes and put their heads down on the desks.
"The legislative debates indicate that the time could be used for the 'neutral' acts of meditation, reflection, and taking a 'deep breath' before the activities of the day."
Valley View board member Mike Evans said that when he first heard about the proposal to require a time of silence for public schools, he was concerned about how long the time would be.
"I had issues with the time when it was first stated. But not now, because a moment was really defined. Only time will tell whether the legislation is going to be good or bad," Evans said.
It's not necessarily about praying in schools, he noted.
"Anybody can pray when they do it privately. Praying shouldn't be forced," he said.
The moment of silence is for "whatever the students and staff want to use it for," Evans said.
Assistant Superintendent Gary Grizaffi said teachers can determine what they feel is an appropriate length of time for the required moment of silence.
Other school districts measure the time and end it with a school-wide announcement.
After receiving memos from the district's lawyers, the length of time recommended for the moment of silence each day in the district is between 30 seconds and five minutes, Grizaffi said.
However, he also said he thinks the state legislature should be spending more time on dealing with budget issues than establishing moments of silence in public schools.
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Forces students to do something that isn't intellectually productive is a waste of school funding. Unless they can show benefits for such a think it is worthless.
Edit: They should have about 12 hours left in the day for there own quiet time.
Sounds made up...
Agnostic Atheist
No, I am not angry at your imaginary friends or enemies.
I think that as long as the quiet time is enough time to rub one off that it can stay. I doubt any student is going to use it to pray, and if they do, I bet they get the crap kicked out of them at lunch time.
"Tis better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." -Lucifer
Seems like a useless, passive aggressive way to try to get kids to pray in school. It's like they're saying "we can't have real prayer in school, so we'll have this blank time in our kids' school day to show where the prayer should go." It's really petty and pointless.
Well, I would like it if we had it here, all this sound is very annoying, some minutes to relax will be fine.
I wanted to set my entire state on fire when this law passed. What irks me most is that this is what legislators are spending their time on. The economy is sinking throughout much of Illinois, the schools are drastically underfunded, the real estate market dump is killing people, yet this is the bullshit they waste their time on. Reason number 345,765 why I'm not having kids. Thankfully, resident atheist activist Rob Sherman and his daughter are challenging it:
By Tara Malone|Tribune staff reporter- 2:13 PM CDT, October 26, 2007
A 14-year-old suburban girl and her dad, atheist activist Rob Sherman, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Friday that challenges the constitutionality of a law requiring Illinois public schools to observe a moment of silence.
Sherman and his daughter Dawn, a freshman at Buffalo Grove High School, contend that the law providing for "silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day" runs afoul of the constitutional separation of church and state.
The Shermans are seeking an injunction that would prevent the observance of a moment of silence in Township High School District 214, which is scheduled to begin the practice Tuesday. They also hope to reverse the statute statewide, said Gregory Kulis, an attorney representing the father and daughter.
"I just don't want my education to be interrupted," Dawn Sherman said.
Her father has challenged the use of a cross image on the seals of such municipalities as Rolling Meadows, Palatine and Zion.
"The whole purpose for changing the law is to get more prayer in the public schools and everybody knows it," Rob Sherman said. "Private business should be done on personal time, not time paid for by the taxpayers."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois did not sign onto the lawsuit. Spokesman Ed Yohnka declined to explain the reasoning beyond noting the statute's dual focus on meditation or prayer. A moment of silence during the school day is not legally objectionable, Yohnka said. A moment of prayer is. The legal distinction, however thin, is significant.
Determining whether Illinois' law will hold constitutional muster could be difficult, legal experts caution.
"Neither side here has a slam-dunk case," said Sheldon Nahmod, a Chicago-Kent Law School professor and constitutional scholar. "A statute that requires a moment of silence and that's all, or a moment for meditation and that's all, would be constitutional. But here the questions will revolve around the language referencing prayer and making it mandatory."
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected mandatory school prayer in 1962, contending that it violated the establishment clause that bars government agencies from fostering religion. More than two decades later, the Supreme Court struck down an Alabama law that legislators acknowledged had been fashioned for prayer rather than meditation or silent reflection.
Nearly two dozen states leave the possibility of a moment of silence open to local school boards, according to an analysis by the National Council of State Legislators.
Titled the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, Illinois' law makes obligatory what had been an optional moment of silence since 2002. Lawmakers overrode Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto to pass the measure, which states "the period shall not be conducted as a religious exercise." Enacted Oct. 11, the law was effective immediately but carries no penalties for schools that do not comply.
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"The powerful have always created false images of the weak."
Slightly off-topic but I hate those bumper stickers that say:
"As long as there are tests, There will always be prayer in schools."
They might as well say there will always be some idiot that thinks Jesus is a substitute for an education.
I've never seen that bumper sticker, but it seems like they're just saying tests make students desperate enough to pray... har har har. Anyway...
I'm sure some public schools will welcome any legitimate-sounding excuse to pad out the day. Between the pledge of allegiance (with or without references to god, this is a pointless ritual that makes you feel like a Hitler Youth), the movies and assemblies in the auditorium, and the commercially-sponsored "activities," it's not like we're spoiling the world's top educational system. It is an idiotic idea, though, and the kind of underhanded approach I've come to expect from this country's moral standards bearers.
About 5 years ago in my County there was a discussion about the early school starting times. Apparently some sort of research was done that concluded student's brains were more apt for learning at later hours. The initial response was to shift back the school times and hour or two but parents complained because they had integrated the current times into their schedule and since school has to be so many hours a day, they would have to go out and pick up their students after they got home from work. Silly, I know but if they have the 'time' in the school year for 15 minutes of silence why not just cut 15 minutes off the school day. Personally, I would be pissed that my tax dollars were going to pay thousands of educator's salaries, lights, heat, a/c for 15 minutes a day when no learning is taking place. 15 minutes a day really adds up.
A "moment of silence" is indisputably an ennoblement for the existence of a god; its as simple as that.
These assholes (christians no doubt) managed to get their inch in for religion; wait now for their demand for the mile.
People who think there is something they refer to as god don't ask enough questions.
We have that in Texas, of course the students are also suppose to say two pledges that have under god...
If you wanted to looking into effects or what people might to about it or arguments about it the Texas system is where you should look.
Is it so difficult to pray at home and get it out of the way before coming to school?
How long before someone demands 5 periods of "quiet time" per day -- and demands that the desks point in the direction of mecca?
Maybe get some kids to start writhing and chanting in tongues during "quiet time"; they can claim they were overcome by the lord's presence.
There are no theists on operating tables.
Im torn on this one. First, this is a blatant attempt at trying to add a little bit of prayers back in school. It doesn't serve much purpose as its not long enough more than likely for those that aren't going to pray to do anything else. Not that prayer really is doing anything other than people talking to themselves.
That being said, I think its somewhat healthy for people to stop what they are doing and listen and think. Its amazing what one can think of or how refreshing it can be to just stop and listen to nothing. Do I think it should be legislated in? Fuck no. However I would encourage students to stop and have a moment to themselves. We generally live in too busy of a culture anymore to enjoy the small things in life.
Anyways, enough of my rant ;p Personally I think it would make more sense to give everyone time to read a book that they want to read, instead of the boring shit thats usually forced down kids throats at school. And they should start with Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass (Sorry, shameless plug for one of my favorite new books ;p)
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An update on this:
The judge decided to reject the injunction request, but did say he had concerns about the new law. The judge suggested the suit be amended to name the Illinois Board of Ed. and the governor's office as defendants. Sherman and his lawyer are in the process of doing so.
"The powerful have always created false images of the weak."
My highschool started doing this on tuesday which was the start of the second half of the semester. A lot of people are openly opposed to this within the school including many teachers, some of the administration, and myself. I have chosen to make it a point to not be silent during the time. Its only about 30 seconds which makes the "silent reflection on the day" point useless, it also completely puts the fact that silence is good for mental health out of the question being that 30 seconds isnt going to do shit for mental health. So just good news that I am fighting it, and many theists and atheists have grouped up to fight the idiocy at my school
I really agree with what Gizmo said about the benefits of just stopping to listen/think. Especially with the high paced lives we have today. This is something I would benefit from but would probably forget to do regularly. However 15 minutes is way too much time for a second grader to reflect. Perhaps if it was more reasonable and didn't sound so much like a back door to squeeze some prayer in it wouldn't rub me the wrong way.
Loud laughter can actually be an action that helps a student "to gather thoughts about the coming lesson" and help them to "consider their more distance futures or meditate on what's for lunch."
Laughter to some people is equivalent to "looking out the window and enjoy the sunlight, close their eyes and daydream..." So loud laughter should be exercised at this moment
According to the article, "It's up to them." In that case, I think instead of some students wanting to take "timeout from the noisy babble of car radios and iPods", other students might actually benefit from listening to and playing so everybody can hear noisy car radios and iPods.
Another possibility is bouncing a rubber ball on the floor. Personally, I find it relaxing.
People who think there is something they refer to as god don't ask enough questions.
Good news, for anyone who hasn't heard, on Wednesday, the judge in the trial decided to suspend the law in District 214 (which is my school district) and also Dawn Sherman's the daughter of Rob Sherman and Plaintiff in the case. As of thursday morning, D214 no longer held the moment of silence in compliance with the court. On friday the judge made the ruling to suspend the law in all schools in the state of Illinois. Moreover, I wrote an article about the moment of silence for my school newspaper the John Hersey Highschool Correspondent which was featured as the front page article and came out this morning.
Happy Thanksgiving, new poster here. I am thankful for atheist forums.
I live in Illinois and this new law was brought up at my work the other day. A woman with a child in high school and a friend of mine with a daughter in elementary school were talking about how stupid this was, one of them is religious and the other is not so much.
Before I caught on that they were discussing an actual Law, I was wondering what happened that was so bad that the entire student body was observing moments of silence every day now. Thats when I always remembered that ritual, when a tragedy occured.
Regardless we came to the conclusion that its a waste of time for the students and the parents and i would guess christian activists who spent their free time making it a Law. it will be gone before you know it, I am sure.
well i used to stand for something
now i'm on my hands and knees
traded in my god for this war
and he signs his name with a capital g
My school district has done this for years. It is an inch, yes, and the theists do want to take a mile but it does not infringe on the establishment clause. In my school district its only a single minute. I may not be able to always get them on task (I am a sub) but they will usually remain silent at least for that one minute, on their own.
The school I went to had a similar thing. "The Moment of Silence" was what it was called, and it was removed due to pressing of the issue. Not the religious issue, but the issue of time.
If you want to see entitlement, watch what happens when we have to give a kid an out of school suspension because they repeatedly break the rules and either don't come to in-school suspension or it has no effect on them. The parents often come and complain about having to take off work as if we were their babysitting service.