While I can see both sides on this argument I don't see the point of this law. If the lower courts have already ruled "ruled that certain student-led prayers can pass constitutional muster as long as they weren't the product of an official school policy" I don't see the need for lawmakers to get involved. Something that conservative Christians may want to keep in mind is that a law like this would also allow any other faith the same right of organized prayer. That could be a consequence those they don't like.

Once again, folk need to be reminded: no has outlawed prayer in the public schools. To do so is impossible. What is "patently unconsitutional" is prayer that is forced or directed.

Why are Christians so insecure in their beliefs that they are driven to demonstrate their faith in such public and coercive ways?

BankStreet - My evangelical breathern feel they need to convert heathens like you no matter what I guess.

I wish I could answer your question. I just can't come up with any reason why some feel the need to ram faith down the throats of those who don't want it.

Don't fool yourselves gentlemen, this is proactive bill established BEFORE something gets taken away... it secures the constitutional rights of God-believing youth. I have heard stories in other countries (i.e. Canada) where students have been expelled for simply saying grace before they eat their lunch -- among other things.

I think it is a reasonable step in times like these.

pattycakers,

Times like these? Times in which militant Christianity (to say nothing of Islam) is ascending?

What is being taken away? God-believing youth already have every right to pray whenever and wherever they feel the need. What they don't have is the right to coerce my child into joining them, either by soliciting the tacit (so far, anyway) approval of God-believing teachers and administrators...or by simple peer pressure/herd mentality.

The constitutional right to free expression of conscience and religion is secure, but is threatened (not protected) by legislation such as this.

we always have prayers in the people's house,given by priests from different faiths.
Why not have something similar in schools with a one minute moment of silence for all to pray or sleep!.
Allowing prayers in schools will lead to divisions and confrontations.
We must preserve the secular nature of our schools.

I live in a small community with just over 200 students in the high school. The same community has 23 churches all with their own rules on praying and worshiping. At the foot ball game will all students wanting to lead a proper pray be allowed to give his prayer or will the school just pick the most popular one. Santa Fe Texas already tried to pick one student and the Supreme Court said no.

enough with the prays already, they are pointless and fall on deaf ears because no one is listening , pray at home or to yourself and leave everyone else who does not need to pray alone, protect people from religious fanatics.

Christians spread the word because Christ's word in the bible tells us to. What type of Christian are we if someone ends up in hell forever and they can point to us and say, "you never told me"? It is just that we are supposed to do it with love and peace, not like many other religions and including those who call themselves Christians (like the story above) who want to kill or whatever. I think it is funny how some people spend more time complaining about being witnessed to than they do complaining about people running planes into buildings and killing thousands. That is why Christ came here however.

Clay,

If you "love" me, then leave me (and my children) in "peace." You have ample opportunity to "witness" in your church, without occupying the space and time my tax dollars provide for a secular education. If my (theoretical) child wants to find you, (s)he'll know where to find you...trust me.

It's kind of annoying at the prom when you hear "la ilaha illa allah" over the PA system and everybody throws down their prayer rugs and bows toward Mecca and all I want to do is dance. Of course they have the right to pray, but can't they do it on their own time? I paid money for a ticket and the SGA shelled out big bucks for the band.

Maybe have a prayer meeting afterwards at someone's house?

Someone decided that it would be annoying at their prom to have two girls dancing with one of them wearing a man's tuxedo. Let me propose a question. If Christians said, "Ok. We wont propose any more prayer in school. We also wont witness to anyone on school property. However, we expect no homosexual behavior on school grounds either, including two people of the same sex attending the prom. Neither is it correct to dress goth or like witches or to act like them. Agreed?" Would anyone agree to compromise?

Sorry, Clay..

I'm not willing to pay for my constitutional rights (to be free from religon, if I choose) by sacrificing more/others of those rights. I think the "compromise" being discussed applies to the larger world we occupy together. I am offended by the ubiquity of religion in American society; you are offended by secular values. I tolerate (begrudgingly) Fred Phelps and Pope Benedict. You tolerate (begrudgingly) Gay folk and atheists in your midst.

You know, sometimes it's hard to get the guys up on the dance floor, so the girls have to dance with each other. I didn't know that was a crime! We're just trying to have fun. What's the harm in that?

I think traditionally (at least in modern times) schools have accepted two girls dancing with one another. The two girls at this school were making a statement that they were romantic partners and that they wanted to attend with one of them wearing a tux. The school maybe decided that if they didnt have to make a statement by allowing things like Christian songs to be sung at graduations then maybe they also didnt have to make a statement by allowing these two young women to do what they wished. That is the problem with official school positions. One thing cant be allowed, but something to do with sexuality cant be stopped? When Christ returns, then everyone will follow His position on things. The more disobedience to Him, the more disobedience we have in society.

but something to do with sexuality cant be stopped?

I imagine the schools have their hands full with trying to prevent any rapes or unwanted pregnancies on prom night. Also, trying to prevent drunk driving. These are serious, life-altering problems. Any matters having to do with sexuality that don't cause harm are really beyond the purview of the school.

And another thing. I've worn a tuxedo and looked mighty fine in it. I defy anyone to draw some kind of conclusion about my sexual orientation based on how I dress. It is an individual choice. A lot of the judgments being made about what is "acceptable" behavior are culturally based/biased and have nothing to do with morality. When I'm overseas in certain countries I see girls walking around hand-in-hand and young men with their arms draped around each others' shoulders. Those people would probably be scandalized if they heard some of the narrow-minded, intolerant views you espouse about what you deem to be proper sexual behavior.

These girls are free to make their own choices. No one, the school officials included, has to allow it to occur at their dances and so as to give it their approval. Perhaps the girls should have just come anyway without saying anything. What they were looking for was approval.

What Constance McMillen was "looking for," when she went to her school administrators, was PERMISSION. It was they who, in response, canceled the prom. Only then did Ms McMillen look for justice.

BankStreet said that he (assuming it's a he) tolerates Fred Phelps. You, are by far, extremely mentally sick and need to see a doctor.
Now onto the bigger issue, I live in Florida. South Florida, to be precise, and this "prayer at school" is absolutely nonsense. Not only does it violate the US Constitution and a previous US Supreme Court ruling, but it is a severe inclusion between church and government! Church and government are supposed to be separate; Church doesn't get involved at school, government doesn't get involved in church. To have prayer at school is absolutely stupid, for one, not everyone practices one religion, or even any religion, and two, we don't need secular division at the public school level. Next thing you know, there will be Catholic and Christian brawls, war on Judaism and Islam, etc, etc, etc. Florida is so stupid and I hate being a resident here. Once I graduate college, I am packing my bags and leaving!

What's amazing is that the Florida Congress thinks it can pass laws that contradict the US Constitution.
Federal laws > State laws

Raziel Marx--what do you mean by, "severe inclusion between church and state"? Do you mean "severe intrusion of church in state"? And what do you mean by, "we don't need secular division at the public school level"? Do you mean, "we don't need religious divisions at the public school level"? If you mean what I have written then you're smart despite your deplorable use of prepositions and your confusion about words that sound alike. Why do you think Florida is so stupid? Is it because the retirees are sucking all the oxygen in the air and turning it to Alzheimers amyloid? When you graduate, whatever you do, don't migrate to Maryland to start your new odyssey through life. Clay is sucking out the oxygen here and turning it to a smoke and mirrors game called witnessing.
Go West young man, to the failed state of California. The whole place is so much more stupid than Florida that you may find your way back to Florida, more appreciative of its level of stupidity--in order to appreciate a bad thing find something even worse. That's a good motto. For example, in order to appreciate Ravensfan read Pattycakers2K10.
R Anon

And in order to appreciate R Anon read Robert Littel.

Thank you Anonymouse--and in order to appreciate Anonymouse don't read at all--then take baby steps into his writing world--will be enough to keep you away from reading and embrace illiteracy as a religion.
R Anon

Anonymouse? Spelling error or attempt at mocking me? Actually it really doesn't matter. You try and impress with prose to compensate for the lack of any real substance to your message.

Anonymouse? Mispelling or deliberate spelling R Anon. If you were only as intelligent as you think you are you'd see how foolish your use of your own writing skills has been.