Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Illinois House Votes To Eliminate Mandatory Moment of Silence In Schools
The Illinois House of Representatives yesterday voted to reverse its action of less than a year ago. (See prior posting). By a vote of 72-31 it approved, and sent to the Senate, H.B. 4180 that would make a moment of silence optional instead of mandatory in Illinois schools. Both the State Journal-Register and the Chicago Tribune report that even though last year the legislature overrode Gov. Rod Blagojevich's veto of a bill that made the moment of silence mandatory, a number of legislators have now reversed their positions after complaints from many teachers and superintendents. Senate passage of the bill is less certain. Last November, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking one school district from enforcing the law. (See prior posting.)