Alabama's House of Representatives has put through a bill requiring all teachers and students at state schools to spend 15 minutes in Christian prayer every morning.
Alabama is the 2nd most religious state, behind Mississippi, saw the bill pushed through late last week. The Bill was said to be strongly opposed.
he Montgomery Advertiser said:
"The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Hurst, R-Munford, would require teachers to spend no more than 15 minutes in the first class of each day to read, verbatim, opening prayers said before a meeting of the U.S House of Representatives or the U.S Senate.
Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin, R-Indian Springs, chairwoman of the committee, said she heard more votes in favour of the bill.
"That's what I heard as chairwoman," she said.
Only McClurkin and one other Republican on the panel actually voted 'aye' on the bill, with two Republicans and a democrat insisting they said 'no' in the voice vote, but the chairman has the final say, according to the House clerk.
McClurkin also voted through a bill that will allow students to initiate prayer and write about religion in their schoolwork.
The bill has been hotly debated, but some are urging non-religious people to perhaps see the prayer time as a kind of quiet, meditation time to allow students to collect their thoughts at the start of the day, while others are opposed to the bill, calling it 'indoctrination.'
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