Although the recent Supreme Court ruling on public prayer knocked the atheist anti-prayer warriors on their heels, the ACLU says it plans a court challenge to a new North Carolina bill (likely to become law) allowing prayer in school because if students pray, the ACLU says, school faculty and staff must be nowhere in sight.
For background, read Legislation Bringing Prayer Back to North Carolina Schools
Also read North Carolinians Pray at School, Defying Wisconsin Atheists
In addition, read of the myriad atheist lawsuits against Christians and prayer nationwide and read Atheists Threaten to Sue Every School in Tennessee and in Mississippi but admit they're Short on Lawyers to Sue ALL Christians
And read the long list of states enacting laws to bring prayer back to schools.
-- From "Student prayer law draws fire" by Jon Ostendorff, Asheville Citizen-Times 6/5/14
Senate Bill 370, titled Respect for Student Prayer/Religious Liberty, . . . is designed to clarify the rights of students to pray, share religious viewpoints and distribute religious literature in schools with some restrictions. Those rights have been at issue in Buncombe County recently with school leaders saying an event violated policy and the county superintendent later saying it did not.
Students, for example, would not be allowed to coerce or harass others into joining religious activities. They also could not disrupt school with prayer.
The bill says school staff, including coaches, involved in extracurricular activities can be present for voluntary student prayers and may adopt "a respectful posture" during it.
Rep. Nathan Ramsey, R-Fairview, said the courts have ruled staff may participate in student-led prayer.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Student Prayer Bill Loosens Religious Restrictions on Teachers, Coaches" by Heather Moore, Time Warner Cable News 6/5/14
A bill moving through the North Carolina General Assembly was designed to protect students' rights to pray or participate in religious activities at school, but critics say it could create an uncomfortable environment for other students.
. . . state lawmakers want to make sure efforts to keep church and state separate don't prevent students from expressing or practicing their religion.
“Coaches and teachers and others [are] coming forward who are being told they can't even be present when students are praying or they can't be respectful of what students are doing when they're expressing their religious faith,” [N.C. state Sen. Ralph] Hise said. “That's why this bill became necessary, so we could make clear the school boards across the state don't have policies that prohibit someone from expressing their religious views.”
But the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) says having teachers and school staff involved could lead to violations of the Constitution.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Nun Blasted by North Carolina Parents for Teaching Catholicism
