Legislature(1999 - 2000)
05/03/1999 02:02 PM Senate JUD
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SJR 25-VOLUNTARY SCHOOL PRAYER
SENATOR JERRY WARD, sponsor, explained SJR 25 requests the Alaska
congressional delegation to support the passage of HJR 7 and SJR 1,
related to school prayer. Those resolutions read:
Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prohibit
individual or group prayer in public schools or other public
institutions. No person shall be required by the United
States of any other state to participate in prayer. Neither
the United States nor any state shall compose the words of any
prayer to be said in public schools.
SENATOR WARD pointed out prayer in public schools occurred until
1962, at which time an unelected judge decided it was
unconstitutional. He believes that decision was in error.
SENATOR WARD said he introduced SJR 25 after watching a news story
about the shootings at the Littleton, Colorado high school. A
teacher, who told the students to pray in a classroom for the other
students during the incident, broke the law. He noted that prayer
is the most powerful tool he is aware of. He feels that the debate
about allowing prayer in public schools needs to occur on the
federal level. He asked that the Alaska Legislature go on record
in support of allowing prayer in public schools.
Number 097
MR. JEFF WHITE, the principal of a private Christian school in
Ketchikan, made the following comments via teleconference. He
supports SJR 25 and believes that when prayer was no longer
permitted in public schools, violence, teen pregnancy, drug and
alcohol abuse escalated. The older generation benefitted from a
school system that had prayer time. The Bible speaks of a
generation that did not know God. We are raising a generation
without the knowledge of God. Likewise, he believes reciting the
Pledge of Allegiance instills in children a bond with their nation
and a sense of patriotism. Teenagers learn to apply what they were
taught as children and what we are seeing today is teenagers who
have no standards to live by.
Number 175
MARSHA GEORGE, affiliated with the Church of God in Ketchikan,
stated that prayer, and volunteer and paid chaplains, are available
to and the military and jail system, legislatures and Congress, and
in some work places. She questioned why chaplains and prayer have
been outlawed in public schools. Prayer has been outlawed yet
abortion and gambling are legal in many states and many states are
seriously considering legalizing euthanasia. She wishes the
leadership of this country would do the right thing and legalize
prayer in school.
Number 234
SENATOR DONLEY stated that SJR 1 specifies that no person be
required by the United States or any state to participate in
prayer, and it says that neither the United States nor any state
should compose the words of any prayer to be said in public
schools. He questioned the constitutional interpretation of the
words "any state" and whether a school district could required
students to participate in prayer and could approve certain
prayers.
SENATOR WARD replied a school district could not. He noted SJR 1
is intentionally written to prohibit anyone from imposing his/her
religious views on another.
SENATOR DONLEY questioned how a school will determine what words
are used in the prayer.
SENATOR WARD answered the prayer would be silent. He explained
silent prayer occurred in 1962 when the American Civil Liberties
Union fought that activity in court and won. He pointed out the
same court prohibited the posting of the Ten Commandments in a
school, yet it decided that Larry Flint had the right of free
speech. He asserted it is time that legislators have this debate
on a national level to see what the country's moral compass is. He
repeated nothing in SJR 1 or HJR 7 imposes any words of prayer or
any specific religious beliefs.
Number 282
SENATOR DONLEY noted he is trying to figure out how the proposed
constitutional amendment will relate because while SJR 1 and HJR 7
appear to allow verbal prayers, they specify that neither the
federal or state governments can compose the words of the prayer.
He questioned who will determine what prayer will be said.
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR agreed the issue is somewhat ambiguous but he
pointed out that at times, not all legislators are in agreement
with the prayer offered on the Senate floor, yet the carrying out
of the law will have to be left to the person offering the
ministerial service. He noted the chaplains in the Army are not
instructed in the type of prayers they should offer so, in that
setting, the prayer is often ecumenical. He hoped the people
offering the prayer consider the congregation before them.
Number 336
SENATOR ELLIS stated the type of lead-prayer, referred to by
Chairman Taylor, when sponsored by the public school system,
contradicts the sponsor's statement that silent, unlead-prayer
would occur.
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said he was referring to the instances in
government institutions today in which a person has to verbalize a
prayer, and how that person has to make difficult decisions. He
doubted that could occur in a school setting.
SENATOR WARD pointed out that silent prayer occurred in Alaskan
schools for the year preceding the 1962 decision for the reason
that classrooms contained a diverse group of people. He noted the
same resolution has been introduced every year in Congress since
1962.
SENATOR DONLEY said, given our court system, he believes a
stringent application of the constitutional amendment would be
imposed to ensure that prayers are ecumenical and to protect the
religious beliefs of all denominations.
SENATOR HALFORD moved SJR 25 from committee with individual
recommendations. SENATOR ELLIS objected because he had not had a
chance to review the copy of the materials before Congress. The
motion to pass SJR 25 from committee carried with Senators Halford,
Donley and Taylor voting "yea," and Senator Ellis voting "nay."
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