quote:

Sorry, I just meant I didn't think he was through with his appeals.

I'm sure that's true; employment protection legislation in most countries is so tough these days that it's almost impossible to sack anyone, and dismissal on the grounds of incompetence or non-adherence to standards takes a long time, with many hoops for employers to jump through. But he was suspended from his duties while his appeal process runs its lengthy course and that means he cannot inflict his ideas on his students for the moment.

I knew that someone would sue, and Rob Sherman, an atheist, is known for suing in situations like that. Heck, he campaigned (and won!) to have have "God Bless Chicago" dropped from the homecoming songs.

However, there was an article in the Chicago Tribune that told about student walkouts throughout the state and also how the schools were interpreting it. First, I would find it hard to justify (in terms of separation of church and state) merely by the the title of the Act: the "Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act." Come on. Apparently, though, there is no punishment for those schools that don't use it. So what good is it? Also, listen to how one school is using it: "Northbrook-Glenview School District 30 this week began to sandwich 5 seconds of reflection after the Pledge and before the daily news." Five seconds? I guess I could live with that.

I am thinking it will be overturned, though. On the other hand, our Supreme Court Justices are a little conservative these days, so who knows.

As I suspected, a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction barring the moment of silence in Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214, calling it too vague and "likely unconstitutional." At this point the injunction applies only to that district, though today the same judge asked the state's superintendent of the Illinois State Board of Education not to issue any directive on the law. He also held that no district should be punished for not upholding the law.

I strongly suspect in the coming weeks there will be a statewide injunction freezing the law. Yet, I am sure there will be a fight because some other states (Georgia) have allowed it. I think the problem with this law may be that isn't specific enough (what is a "moment" of silence) and the language giving kids the choice to pray may cross the line of separation of church/state.

Stay tuned...

Based upon my personal experiences with public school, I think it would be more appropriate to begin each day with a moment of screaming.