Prayers+and+Moments+of+Silence

** __SECTION III: PRAYERS & MOMENTS OF SILENCE__ ** ** 2. DAILY PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ** ** 3. ****__REQUIRED OR ORGANIZED__**  **4.** **__STUDENT LED DURING SCHOOL HOURS__**  **5.** **__STUDENT DELIVERED BEFORE, DURING,__** OR AFTER SCHOOL SPONSORED EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES  **6.** **__STUDENT DELIVERED AT GRADUATION__** CEREMONIES  **7.** **__RELIGIOUS LEADERS DELIVERING__** **BENEDICTIONS OR INVOCATIONS AT GRADUATION CEREMONIES** ** 8. **SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DELIVERING AT GRADUATION CEREMONY ** 9. ****__BOARD POLICY__** ** 10. ****__REGULATIONS__** ||
 * __LINKS TO SPECIFIC TOPICS__: **
 *  **1.** **__SCHOOL BOARD MEETING__**


 * 1. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: SCHOOL BOARD MEETING__ **

The issue of a school board opening its meeting with a prayer “has not yet been answered by any court with jurisdiction over the school districts in New York State” (New York State School Boards Association [NYSSBA], 2010, p. 759, School Law § 36:7).


 * Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * Ruled that a school district may NOT open a school board meeting with a prayer because school boards are an important part of the public school, and students in attendance might feel more "coercion" than at a graduation ceremony therefore the practice is unconstitutional (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759,School Law § 36:7).
 *  //Coles v. Cleveland BOE//, 171 F.3d 369 (6th Cir. 1999) , //rehg denied//, 183 F.3d 538 (6th Cir. 1999)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Federal District Courts (outside of New York): **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ruled that a school board meeting may begin with a prayer as long as the board does not show a preference to any one religion <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> ( <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759,School Law § 36:7). If no preference is shown then the board would not violate the Establishment Clause (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759,School Law § 36:7).
 * // Doe v. Tangipahoa Parish Sch. Bd. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 631 F.Supp.2d 823 (E.D. La., 2009)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">// Doe v. Indian River Sch. Dist. //, 685 F.Supp.2d 524 (D. Del. 2010)

2. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: DAILY PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL__

 * Regardless if prayer and/or exercises are voluntary and nondenominational, school sponsored prayer and religious exercises are unconstitutional (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759, School Law § 36:8). **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cases struck down or dismissed by the United States Supreme Court because they violate the separation of church and state as defined in the First Amendment's Establishment Clause:
 * United States **** Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Daily recitation of prayers, approved by the New York State Board of Regents, over a school's public address system was considered unconstitutional” (Essex, 2012, p. 21; NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759, School Law § 36:8).
 * // Engle v. Vitale //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 370 U.S. 421 (1962)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Courts ruled that a policy of a Pennsylvania school requiring readings from the Bible was deemed unconstitutional, “even if students were not required to engage in such prayers” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 759, School Law § 36:8).
 * // Abington School Dist. v. Schempp //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 374 U.S. 203 (1963)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: REQUIRED OR ORGANIZED__ **


 * United States **** Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Struck down a statute that had allowed for a daily one-minute of silence or voluntary prayer because the court found that the purpose was to allow prayer (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:9). Therefore the statute was ruled unconstitutional (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">36:9 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">).
 * // Wallace v. Jaffree //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 472 U.S. 38 (1985)
 * Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * In three appellate court cases since //Jaffree// in 1985, state statutes were upheld that enacted moments of silence because they were not found to be promoting prayer but rather quiet contemplation or reflection (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760,School Law § 36:9).
 * // Croft v. Governor of Texas //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 562 F.3d 755 (5th Cir. 2009)
 * // Brown v. Gilmore //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 258 F.3d 265 (4th Cir. 2001)
 * // Bown v. Gwinnet Cnty. Sch. Dist. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 112 F.3d 1464 (11th Cir. 1997)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">New York ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> State ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Education Law: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Allows for a moment of silence in the public schools at the opening of school every school day” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:9; New York State [NYS] Legislature, 2011, Education Law § 3029-a). This law specifically provides: “The silent meditation authorized . . . is not intended to be, and shall not be conducted as, a religious service or exercise, but may be considered an opportunity for silent meditation on a religious theme by those who are so disposed, or a moment of silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:9).


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">4. ** **__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: STUDENT LED DURING SCHOOL HOURS __**


 * United States **** Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">No rulings by the United States Supreme Court (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10).
 * Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Upheld a school district policy that prohibited faculty participation in student initiated prayer in any school-sponsored setting including classes, team practices, pep rallies, team meetings, and athletic events” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10).
 * // Borden v. School Dist. of the Township of East Brunswick //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 523 F.3d 153 (3d Cir. 2008)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Federal District Courts (outside New York): **
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Courts have found this practice to violate the Establishment Clause requiring the separation between church and state (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10). Practices that allow student-initiated prayer are perceived as being endorsements of religion by the school district (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10).-
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Herdahl v. Pontotoc Cnty. Sch. Dist //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">., 887 F.Supp. 902 (N.D. Miss. 1995)
 * //Ingebretsen v. Jackson Pub. Sch. Dist// ., 88 F.3d 274 (5th Cir. 1996), cert. denied, 117 S.Ct. 388 (1996)
 * Federal District Court **** (New York): **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Supported a school district’s decision to stop a <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">traditional Mohawk Indian Thanksgiving Address given at pep rallies and lacrosse games over the school intercom <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> system (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10). The court found that the address contained speech that could be interpreted as religious content and as such, an endorsement by the school of that particular religion (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 760, School Law § 36:10).
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Jock v. Ransom //, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47027 (N.D.N.Y. 2007)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">5. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: STUDENT DELIVERED BEFORE, DURING,__ **
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">OR AFTER SCHOOL SPONSORED EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES __**


 * United States **** Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Ruled that a school policy that allowed student-initiated, student-delivered, nonsectarian, non-proselytizing prayer at high school football games violates the separation of church and state” (NYSSBA, 2010, p.761, School Law § 36:11). The pre-game prayer would be seen as school endorsed, and students would feel pressure to religiously “conform” in order to join in with their classmates (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 761, School Law § 36:11).
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Santa Fe // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Independent School District // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">v. Doe //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, 530 U.S. 290 (2000)
 * Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * Court took a different stance than that of the United States Supreme Court and ruled “students do not shed their religious rights when they enter the schoolhouse door” (Essex, 2012, p. 19). Therefore “any student-led group // may // [emphasis added] engage in voluntary prayer at school events” (Essex, 2012, p. 19). “However, school personnel may not direct or supervise students who initiate religious expression” (Essex, 2012, p. 19).
 * //Chandler// <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">//v. Siegelman//, 230 F. 3d 1313 (11th Cir. 2000)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">6. ** **__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: STUDENT DELIVERED AT GRADUATION __**
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">CEREMONIES __**


 * United States **** Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">United States Supreme Court has not decided on this specific issue; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> however, the court ruled it unconstitutional for students to lead prayers at a football game**” (**NYSSBA, 2010, p. 761, School Law § 36:12). The court “banned student-led prayer at athletic contests, graduations, and other school-sponsored events” (Essex, 2012, p. 20).
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Santa Fe // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Independent School District // //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">v. Doe //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">, 530 U.S. 290 (2000)
 * <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Allowed the decision in a Federal Appeals Court to stand when they found that the Texas school district that allowed each “senior class to decide whether to offer student-initiated and student-led prayers at its graduation ceremony [was //not// in violation]” of the Establishment Clause (Essex, 2012, p. 22). “For now, at least, under certain conditions, voluntary student-led prayer at graduation ceremonies may be permissible” (Essex, 2012, p. 22).
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Jones v. Clear Creek Independent School District //, 977 F.2d 963 (5th Cir. 1992), //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">cert. //// denied //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 508 U.S. 967 (1993)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Upheld a school board policy that allowed the graduating class the option of selecting one of its members to deliver a message of his or her choice at graduation, with the school having no control over the selection of the student, whether there would be a student graduation message, or the content of the students message” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 761, School Law § <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">36:12 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">). “According to that court even if the student elected to deliver a religious message, the total absence of state involvement prevented a violation of the Establishment Clause” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 761, School Law § <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">36:12 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">).
 * // Adler v. Duval County School Board //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 250 F.3d 1330 (11th Cir. 2001), //cert. denied//, 534 U.S. 1065 (2001)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">7. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: RELIGIOUS LEADERS DELIVERING__ **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> __BENEDICTIONS OR INVOCATIONS AT GRADUATION CEREMONIES__ **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">United States ****<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Supreme Court: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ruled it is //unconstitutional// [emphasis added] for religious leaders to give the benediction or invocation at a graduation ceremony due to the “potential coercive effect on the impressionable students who attend these ceremonies” also that “high school graduation is one of life’s most significant occasions [and] a student is not free to absent herself from the graduation exercise in any real sense of the term voluntary” (NYSSBA, 2010, pp. 761-762, School <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Law § 36:13).
 * // Lee v. Weisman //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 505 U.S. 577 (1992)


 * 8. ****__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DELIVERING __**
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">AT GRADUATION CEREMONY __**


 * Federal Appellate Courts (outside New York): **
 * <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the court “a school district did not violate the Establishment Clause when a school board member recited the Lord’s Prayer at a graduation ceremony as they were engaged in private speech” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 762, School Law § 36:14). Due to the fact that “there was no involvement by the district in determining that the board member would speak, the autonomy afforded to him in determining the contents of his remarks deemed his speech private” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(NYSSBA, 2010, p. 762, School Law § <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">36:14 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">). Furthermore it should be noted that <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">“under different circumstances, a court might rule otherwise” (NYSSBA, 2010, p. 762, School Law § 36:14).
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Doe v. Sch. Dist. of the City of Norfolk //, 340 F.3d 605 (8th Cir. 2003), //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">rehg and rehg en //// banc denied //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, 2003 U.S. App. LEXIS 20987 (8th Cir. Oct. 16, 2003)

= = = Board Policy 7460: **CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED PRAYER IN THE PUBLIC** = =** SCHOOLS **=
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">9. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: BOARD POLICY__ **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">In accordance with the most recent Guidance Document issued by the United States Department of Education implementing the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Board of Education affirms the responsibilities of the School District, consistent with applicable statutory/case law pertaining to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, to allow students and staff to engage in constitutionally protected prayer within the District schools. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Board Policy 7460)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Accordingly, no Board of Education policy shall prevent, or otherwise deny participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in District schools, consistent with the Guidance Document and applicable law as enumerated above. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2011 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, Board Policy 7460)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Board rescinds any other policy that may be inconsistent with the mandates of this policy, which shall supersede any and all Board policies to the contrary. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2011, Board Policy 7460)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">United States Constitution, First Amendment

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Section 9524 = =

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 19px;">10. __PRAYERS/MOMENTS OF SILENCE: REGULATIONS__ **
= = =** Administrative Regulation 8290R: **** RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN THE PUBLIC **= =** SCHOOLS **= = = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">These regulations have been developed to provide guidance to District staff and students regarding religious expression in the public schools. Guidance beyond the statements in these regulations may be found in four basic principles which would apply to the topic of teaching about religion in schools: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1) Is it constitutionally permissible; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2) Is it educationally sound; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">3) Is it culturally sensitive; and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">4) Is it age appropriate? (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Student Prayer and Religious Discussion **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not prohibit purely private religious speech by students. Students, therefore, have the same right to engage in individual or group prayer and religious discussion during the school day as they do to engage in other comparable activity. For example, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray before tests to the same extent they many engage in comparable non-disruptive activities. School authorities possess substantial discretion to impose rules of order and other pedagogical restrictions on student activities, but they may not structure or administer such rules to discriminate against religious activity or speech. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Generally, students may pray in a non-disruptive manner when not engaged in school activities or instruction, and subject to the rules that normally pertain in the applicable setting. Specifically, students in informal settings, such as cafeterias and hallways, may pray and discuss their religious views with each other, subject to the same rules of order as apply to other student activities and speech. Students may also speak to, and attempt to persuade, their peers about religious topics just as they do with regard to political topics. School officials, however, should intercede to stop student speech that constitutes harassment aimed at a student or a group of students. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Students may also participate in before or after school events with religious content on the same terms as they may participate in other non-curriculum activities on school premises. School officials may neither discourage nor encourage participation in such an event. The right to engage in voluntary prayer or religious discussion free from discrimination does not include the right to have a captive audience listen, or to compel other students to participate. Teachers and school administrators should ensure that no student is in any way coerced to participate in religious activity. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)


 * Graduation Prayer and Baccalaureates **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Under current Supreme Court decisions, school officials may not mandate or organize prayer at graduation, nor organize religious baccalaureate ceremonies. If a school generally opens its facilities to private groups, it must make its facilities available on the same terms to organizers of privately sponsored religious baccalaureate services. A school may not extend preferential treatment to baccalaureate ceremonies and may, in some instances, be obliged to disclaim official endorsement of such ceremonies. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Official Neutrality Regarding Religious Activity **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers and school administrators, when acting in those capacities, are representatives of the state and are prohibited by the establishment clause from soliciting or encouraging religious activity, and from participating in such activity with students. Teachers and administrators also are prohibited from discouraging activity because of its religious content, and from soliciting or encouraging anti­religious activity. (Allegany-Limestone Central School District, 2002, Administrative Regulation 8290R)