First Amendment
IL Requires Silence at Start of School Day
The Illinois Legislature has approved a law requiring a moment of silence at the beginning of the school day.
Lawmakers acted to override a veto by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who said the law could erode the separation between church and state, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The law is likely to survive any constitutional challenge, experts told the newspaper. About three dozen states have moment-of-silence laws, although the details vary. To avoid legal problems, most states are moving to a “neutral” period of silence that does not require silent prayer.
Many Illinois legislators were careful not to mention prayer in backing the law, possibly to avoid a First Amendment challenge.
