Anniston Star - Bill would require reading of Congressional prayers in Alabama schools

Teachers in Alabama classrooms would be required to read a Congressional prayer every day under a bill filed in the state Legislature.

"If Congress can open with a prayer, and the state of Alabama Legislature can, I don't see why schools can't," said Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Munford, the bill's sponsor.

Hurst's bill would require schools to set aside the first portion of the first class period every day "for study of the formal procedures followed by U.S. Congress," which must include "a reading verbatim of one of the opening prayers" given at the opening of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.

Hurst said the bill would help students learn more about history and civics.

"They could read the prayer from the day war was declared in World War II," he said. "They could read the prayer the day after Sept. 11."

The bill would limit the daily instruction on congressional procedures to 15 minutes per day. That instruction could include teaching about other procedures of Congress, but would always include the reading of a prayer.

Anniston Star - Bill would require reading of Congressional prayers in Alabama schools

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Hemant Mehta makes an interesting point, one only a school teacher would be keenly aware of,,,

Setting aside the likely unconstitutionality of this idea, I have to go back to the length of time again. As a teacher in Illinois, we’re required by law to have an approximately 15-second moment of silence to start our day. It’s completely unnecessary and a complete waste of time. Hurst thinks he’d be doing kids a favor by wasting up to 15 minutes per day? That’s approximately 45 hours a year that wouldn’t be spent teaching the kids something more useful.