|
No changes to moment of silence law
05/15/2008 12:12:22
By Melissa Hahn
Lawmakers could be done trying to tinker with the Moment of Silence law, which requires quiet reflection at the beginning of every public school day. A Senate committee failed to change the law, limiting the "moment" to no more than 60 seconds, and removing no word "prayer" from the title.
State Senator Kimberly Lightford, who sponsored the measure, says these changes might have led to a favorable opinion in the lawsuit over the law. But she says lawmakers voting "no" or "present" made it clear that they'd like to see this play out in the courts.
Another issue brought up at the committee meeting was a detail about the judge hearing this case. Atheist activist Rob Sherman, who's suing on behalf of his Buffalo Grove high school daughter, says Judge Bob Gettleman used to be a board member of the ACLU. Lightford says she thinks that's a problem for someone deciding this case.
The House voted to make the moment optional, but that measure's not going anywhere in the Senate either. Another court hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for later this month.
|
