BY MIKE CETERA
I wonder just how many times our local lawmakers have voted lockstep on an issue, let alone one that should be controversial, but for some reason isn't.
Yet all but one (Joe Dunn) local lawmaker voted to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto of a state mandate that school children begin their day with a moment of silence, a tantamount approval of prayer in school that skirts that pesky separation of church and state clause. I'm pretty sure kids know what the "moment" is really designated for. How come more adults don't seem to get that? The bill became law immediately after the House voted Thursday.
Find the text of the bill here.
Votes for: Hultgren, Lauzen, Millner, Chapa LaVia, Cross, Pritchard, Schmitz
Votes against: Dunn
Not Voting: Holmes (she voted yes the first time it came to the Senate)
This amends a law that allowed teachers to have a moment of silence. Now they are mandated to do so. Two questions (aside from the constitutional irritation): What has happened in the classrooms across this state since Illinois first started allowing teachers to have a moment of silence that made lawmakers think they needed to "toughen" the legislation? And doesn't the General Assembly have better things to worry about, like say ROADS, SCHOOLS and the BUDGET MESS?
I have a better question...what has happened since they removed prayer from the schools? Colombine...VA Tech??
This is nonsense and I hope it gets thrown out. All this does is opens the door for abusers of religion to force their own personal views on everybody else (many of whom, I might add, happen to be Christian and believe that faith is a PRIVATE thing and should be kept so instead of crammed down people's throats!).
Blaming the murders of Columbine and VA Tech on something as stupid as the lack of prayer in public buildings is cowardly and ignorant. Lack of state-subsidized religion isn't what made those kids kill each other; BULLYING and cultural permissiveness of bullying is ultimately what killed all those kids.
Boo on those legislators who felt it necessary to throw a bone to the minor group of zealots pushing it by overriding the governor's sensible veto!
I am wondering what that "that pesky separation of church and state clause" is. If you are refering to the United States Constitution I would be interested to know just where it is.
The only place that religion is mentioned in the constitution is in the first amendment and there is no mention of separation of church and state. That is a fiction invented by the courts.
a FICTION invented by the courts... i'm sorry but if it was invented by the courts it is not fiction... the courts are part of our government...
This law is a silly, stupid , and asinine waste of taxpayer's money and time. It will lose as soon as it's challenged in court. By the way , for those that haven't quite figured out the bill of rights, their purpose is to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority.
"The only place that religion is mentioned in the constitution is in the first amendment and there is no mention of separation of church and state. That is a fiction invented by the courts"
Our system of laws and governance is far more than the original Constitution and its Amendments. Affecting what is considered legal are laws, regulations, court decisions, and deliberations or communications of legislators as a prelude to legislation and constitution. Basic civics tells one that the Judiciary has equal standing with the two other branches.
Someone above asked "I have a better question...what has happened since they removed prayer from the schools?". Well for starters no one is banned from praying in school if they want to. But aside from that let's look at when mandated school led prayer was struck down during 1962-1963. For starters, life expectancy has increased in the USA from 66.8 years to 77.6 in 2007. The incidence of poliomyelitis went from 1 case per 100,000 people to zero. The enviroment has become cleaner and the civil rights act was passed. Keep in mind this is a just a small sample of what has happened since mandated school led prayer was struck down.
Nobody actually said that the moment of silence had to be for prayer. No I am not blind. My point is regaurdless of what the intention it might do the schools some good to start the day with time out. Get the children focused. It is actually something in this town or even state when people start picking at a moment in silence. There are other things to pick at and be afraid of.