FLORIDA: State Senate Passes Bill To Allow Student Prayers In Public Schools

The Florida Senate has approved a bill that would allow students to pray in public schools as long as the prayers weren't organized by adults. Oh, right.

The “inspirational messages” proposal (SB 98), proposed by Orlando Democratic Sen. Gary Siplin and approved by a 31-8 vote, would allow school boards to adopt policies granting students the right to have prayers at any school assembly but school administrators, teachers, coaches or other personnel from scrutinizing or participating in the prayers. A handful of Democrats argued against the bill, saying students already have the opportunity to pray privately objecting that the measure could create divisiveness. “We don’t have an issue in the state of Florida with the lack of ability of public school students to pray openly. What we want to do is keep our public school kids with the one inspirational message they all need: study, study, study. When they come to the school they can park their religious beliefs at home,” said Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, who is Catholic.

One legislator warns that the bill will backfire once a "smart-alecky" kid organizes a student prayer from the Koran.