Moment of Silence

I am seventeen years old, and I go to school in Illinois.

There is a new law that says every school in Illinoying has to take a moment of silence every day after the pledge of allegence.

Absolutly rediculous,

Quote:

Illinois schools are now required to give students a moment of silence at the beginning of the day so that they may pray or reflect after state lawmakers approved the mandate last Thursday.

The House agreed with the Senate in a 74-37 vote to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto of the legislation.

The law, which took effect immediately, reads: “In each public school classroom the teacher in charge shall observe a brief period of silence with the participation of all the pupils therein assembled at the opening of every school day. This period shall not be conducted as a religious exercise but shall be an opportunity for silent prayer or for silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day.”

While the governor had said in his veto that he believes in the “power of prayer,” he felt the law violated the Constitution’s separation of church and state.

But supporters of the legislation say the intention was not to mandate prayer in schools but instead to benefit students’ well-being by providing a moment of peace in a noisy society.

“This was never about trying to require prayer in the schools," said Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood), the bill’s chief sponsor. “This is a way for teachers and students to [start] their day off in the right way.”

Davis added that time allocated for reflection could possibly avert tragedies like the recent school shooting in Cleveland, Ohio, where a high school student killed two students and two teachers before turning the gun on himself.

Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) said a moment of silence could allow students the opportunity to enjoy listening to the “rustling of leaves” or the “chirping of a bird.” It would be a break from a “rushed, exciting world in which they live that helps to create the violence,” she added.

Concerned Christian Americans and the Illinois Family Institute, two organizations that backed the legislation, agreed that the silence would help students cope with the everyday stress they may face.

Critics, however, have called the new law unnecessary, pointing to a state law that already allow schools to observe a moment of silence before instruction.

“The principal can say we're going to do it in our school. I know teachers that already do it. Why is it necessary to say you shall?" asked Rep. Bill Black (R-Danville), who rejected the legislation.

According to a 1962 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, public schools are not allowed to lead students in prayer although students can still pray. In 2000, a U.S. District court upheld a Virginia law that required schools to observe “moments of silence” at the beginning of instruction. Eleven states require public schools to hold such moments, while 23 others leave it optional.

Since the 2002 Illinois state law only allows and not require moments of silence, supporters of the mandate argue that some schools and teachers choose not grant them to students.

In Chicago, administrators are not aware of any schools that currently set aside time for silent meditation, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Some critics also expressed concern over the implications the law may have on instruction time or disciplinary actions within the schools. The law does not articulate any penalties for schools that don't hold a moment of silence

Sponsors acknowledged that it may take time to formulate rules to implement it.

Sen. Todd Sieben (R-Geneseo), who voted for the override in the Senate last week, noted that despite the mandate students can choose to spend the time praying or not.

".A moment of silence is whatever you want: silence, reflection, prayer, meditation. There are a lot of things you can do in a moment of silence that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion or imposing your religious views on somebody else.”

They say stuff like this

Quote:

A moment of silence is whatever you want: silence, reflection, prayer, meditation. There are a lot of things you can do in a moment of silence that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with religion or imposing your religious views on somebody else.

but the point of the law was to get kids to pray before school.

What really annoyed me was when our principal made the announcement yesterday that we were going to observe a moment of silence, he made no mention that it was a law, nor did he give any reason why were taking a moment of silence. It annoyed me becuase, not only do I personally think that it is unconstatutional but kids dont have any idea what they are doing.

You could almost look at it like (agian, at least in my schools case) like they are tricking us.

Arent you not supposed to have religoun in public schools?

How ya doing, buddy?

But it is only for a couple of seconds. Its not time to do anything but pray.

And I forgot to put where I got it.
Ill. Lawmakers Override Veto; Schools Required to Start with Moment of Silence | Christianpost.com

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

So you are saying that the only possible thing a person can do silently, for what you describe as 'a couple of seconds' is pray? Are you sure you want to stand by that?

Yeah, I think that I will stand by that. When you dont tell the students what they are doing--what do you want us to do? Better yet, what do expect us to do? For a couple of seconds? Oh, I guess we can do something constructive~ uh, no. We cant. We're high schoolers, confused high schoolers... who again, dont know what they are doing becuase the principal did not tell us, I found out by my own research.

My friend did not know till I showed her this thread. She said herself that she felt awkward about the whole thing becuase she did not know what it was for. She said its cool for the people who want to pray.

But was is the point of dedicating 30 seconds of your day to silence. I still dont think that it is enough time to do anything constructive.

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Originally Posted by russ

My school is telling me that I have to sit here and do nothing for a couple seconds. I SIMPLY WILL NOT ALLOW THIS. How DARE they make a law that for a couple of seconds, while at school, I sit in silence; I might accidentally pray during this time of silence. That is unacceptable.

Thats not the point, though I find it kind of annoying and piontless.

What I am upset about is what the people who are making these laws are doing, the intent behind the the moment of silence law in the first place, and what other rediculous laws they may be coming up with.

If all it was is a time to be silent, and there was not a motive or something else behind the law then there would be no problem, with me at least.

How ya doing, buddy?

I did not say that it angers me, I said that it annoys me. In addition I pointed this out becuase I thought it is redicolous that it exists. Thats all.

I was speaking idiomatically.

What people seem to NOT be understanding is it not the waiting for some thirty seconds, it the reason we are doing it.

It does annoy me thirty seconds of nothing (which the principal designated for doing nothing but being quiet), I meant that.

What annoys me is, and the point of me pointing out the article is, that the people who put the law into place are jokes, what the hell else are they doing? What other shitty worthless laws will they put into place? Why are they putting laws into place like that?

That is what I was talking about.

And thirty seconds still is not time to do anything constructive or even rest for that matter.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?