School Prayer Bill Clears State Senate Committee
Thursday, November 3, 2011
By: Tom Parkinson

Nov. 3, 2011 | WMFE - The Senate Education Committee has given its approval to a bill that would allow prayer in Florida's schools but only if the prayers are led by students.

The bill, filed by Democratic State Senator Gary Siplin of Orlando, would give school districts the option of allowing student led prayer.
Siplin said the bill specifies that the prayer must be selected and delivered by a student and not by a teacher or any member of the school staff. 
“It says that school personnel may not participate in or otherwise influence any student in the decision about whether to use prayers or invocations or benedictions.” Siplin said.

The lone dissenting vote on the committee came from Democratic Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff of Ft. Lauderdale. Bogdanoff told Siplin that she previously supported the measure until language making the prayers nonsectarian was removed.
“I respect what you’re trying to do. I think that inspirational messages are a good thing for our students and I’d like to see more of it.” Bogdanoff said. “But I can’t support anything that I believe will end up being skewed toward one religion or the other.”

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Anti-Defamation League are among the groups opposing the bill. They are concerned that it violates the Constitution and could prove harmful to students who have minority religious beliefs.