Louisiana Considers Ingenious Solution To School Board Prayer

In Louisiana’s House of Representatives on Thursday, the House and Governmental Affairs Committee approved House Bill 182, a response to a federal judge’s decision last year that prohibited the Tangipahoa Parish School Board from opening its meetings with prayer. 2theadvocate.com reported yesterday that, in a rather ingenious approach, the bill would permit public bodies, such as school boards, go into executive sessions at the beginning of their otherwise public meetings to say prayers. Representatives’ comments on the proposal covered the waterfront. Rep. Juan LaFonta, the bill’s sponsor, said he would be upset if someone used a closed prayer session to lobby board members. Rather succinctly, Rep. Billy Montgomery said, "We do a lot of worse things than pray." [Thanks to Christianity Today for the lead.]