Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant will be signing into law Senate Bill 2633 that counters the wave of anti-prayer bullying by atheist organizations threatening expensive lawsuits against schools in order to end rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution -- specifically religious liberty and states rights.
For background, read Atheists Threaten to Sue Every School in Mississippi and also read Missouri Votes to Bring Prayer Back to School, Countering Atheists as well as Prayer in America: Hidden Faith, or Public?
UPDATE 3/16/13: Christian lawyers offer services to defend any schools attacked by atheists
UPDATE 3/15/13: New York Times slams all states favoring religious liberty in public schools
-- From "Bill legalizing school prayer sent to governor’s desk" by The Associated Press 3/7/13
The House voted 108-6 for final passage of the bill yesterday without debate.
The measure would guarantee student rights to talk about faith in class and allow them to organize religious clubs. Sponsors, in legislative debate, have said teachers and school administrators are confused about what religious expression is legal, and that the state needs a law to keep schools from wrongly suppressing religion.
. . . [The law] would also create a path to allow students to pray at football games and graduations and during morning announcements.
It suggests naming such events as “limited public forums.” The proposal sets out a model policy districts could adopt, specifying that certain groups of students would be allowed to speak on such occasions. Students could pray, or not, and the school would state it’s not responsible for student actions.
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From "Mississippi governor expected to sign bill allowing prayer in schools, at events" by Charles Herrington, WDAM-TV7 (Hattiesburg, MS) 3/8/13
The bill seeks to establish public forums for student speakers "at all school events at which a student is to publicly speak." The bill goes on to say schools would be required to provide such a forum while at the same time schools must publicly express that they do not sponsor the messages delivered within it. Thus, certain school activities would now be labeled as "limited public forums" in which students may lead prayers. Those forums, according to the bill, may include football games, pep rallies, graduation ceremonies, and morning announcements.
In addition, Senate Bill 2633 would guarantee the rights of students to voluntarily express religious beliefs within school assignments, something students are already allowed to do, and guarantee students the right to voluntarily talk about faith in class work, activities that are not currently forbidden.
Other aspects of the bill include guaranteeing the freedom of students to organize religious clubs and their right to wear to school religious symbols and clothing with religious messages.
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