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Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff |
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Moment of Silence Challenged, Praised
Produced by City Room on Friday, October 12, 2007
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Today, Illinois public schools had their first mandatory moment of silence. The new state law requires each school to give students the opportunity to pray or reflect at the start of each day. Rufus Williams heads the Chicago Public Schools' board. He says the new law is not helpful.
WILLIAMS: This is a small thing that is more of a burden on our system than it is helpful for what we're trying to get done.
Williams says legislators should focus more on increasing funding for schools than on laws like this one. Some critics see it as an attempt to put prayer back in schools. But others see the new law as a good thing. Attorney John Mauck handles religious freedom cases. He says the law doesn't force students to pray.
MAUCK: The affect for many students is gonna be nothing. For other students it will be prayer. Other students will be thinking about their assignments or their girlfriends.
The new law sets no penalties for schools that don't hold a moment of silence.
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