Friday
October 12, 2007
Illinois’ formerly optional moment of silence is now mandatory, thanks to yesterday’s vote by the state legislature to override the Governor’s veto. Proponents of the law claim it has nothing at all to do with school prayer, and is simply an effort to make sure all students have a quiet moment to reflect on their day before school begins.
Tribune columnist Eric Zorn expresses my primary issue with this law very well:
At some point we—and I’m talking to you, you silent lambs who haven’t even bleated as this nonsense has moved through the legislative process—need to stand up to the idea our elected busybodies in the Capitol have any business issuing one-size-fits-all decrees about best pedagogical practice.
Some schools, some classrooms and some students may benefit from the calming effects of a moment of silent thought-gathering as the school day begins. Sure. But others may not need it. They might benefit more from a moment of science, to paraphrase a bumper sticker I saw recently, or from singing a song, or from doing 100 jumping jacks or a group primal scream as the tardy bell rings.
I trust the teachers and the parents and the administrators at each school to make such a decision without any arm-twisting from Springfield.
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