Bringing Prayer Back to N. Carolina Schools: Bill

To counter the atheist threats against teachers, students, and school boards, the North Carolina legislature is moving a bill to make clear that students and teachers alike have rights to pray in school. Sponsors of the bill say the law simply codifies the existing case law, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions that allow prayer in school.

"Some educators — many times out of ignorance, sometimes out of base motives — and certain outside groups intimidate students into silence or inaction in matters of faith or practice."
-- Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League

UPDATE 6/6/14: Once New Prayer Bill is Law, Atheists Say They'll Sue

For background, click headlines below to read previous articles:

God Censored at North Carolina School, Citizens Rebel

NC School Bows to ACLU, Bans All Prayers at Events

Christian Prayer Brings Penalty for NC Teen Wrestler

Atheists Threaten to Sue Every School in Mississippi

Prayer Returns to Mississippi Schools: New Law

Legislators Put Prayer Back in Florida Schools

Tennessee Law Lets Teachers Pray with Students

Missouri Votes to Bring Prayer Back to School

Also read Prayer in America: Hidden Faith, or Public?

The root issue is American Religious Liberty vs. Anti-Christian Totalitarianism

-- From "Student prayer rights bill passes NC Senate" by The Associated Press 5/9/13

The bill that passed [a Senate committee] unanimously Thursday says students can pray and express religious viewpoints as long as they don't create disruptions. It also requires school employees to show "appropriate respect" toward students who are properly exercising their rights.

Republican sponsors speaking for the bill pointed to an incident in McDowell County in which a teacher forced a student to remove religious references from a poem.

Some Democrats have questioned the need for the bill and the removal of language from a previous version of the bill explicitly forbidding the schools from establishing an official religion.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

From "NC Senate advances bills protecting student prayer, organizational control" by Chris Kardish, Associated Press 5/8/13

The Senate Education Committee signed off on two bills Wednesday intended to protect free expression in schools and colleges.

One measure gives student organizations at the state's public colleges and universities the right to select leaders and govern themselves without interference from administrators, so long as their actions don't violate state or federal law. Another bill clarifies students' rights to religious expression as long as they don't disrupt public schools.

Sen. Dan Soucek, R-Watauga and the sponsor of the student organization bill, said he decided to craft legislation after hearing from a religiously affiliated group that isn't able to demote leaders if they stray from the group's beliefs. He didn't name the group.

To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.

Also read Colleges Ban Student Groups for Christian Beliefs as well as Florida College Drops Exclusively Christian Club