Judge bans Illinois moment of silence in school district
Chalk up a victory for Chicago’s most famous atheist, Rob Sherman. Federal Judge Robert Gettleman ruled on a lawsuit brought by Sherman against local school district 214 over Illinois’ newly mandated moment of silence, claiming it violated separation of church and state and it seems Judge Gettleman agrees:
[Gettleman] today issued a preliminary injunction barring a suburban school district from implementing the state’s new law mandating a moment of silence at the start of classes, calling the statute too vague and “likely unconstitutional.”
Gettleman asked the parties in the case to return to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse Thursday when he could consider making the injunction statewide. The Illinois attorney general’s office is considering stepping into the litigation.
Gettleman said the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act isn’t specific enough about what is a “moment” and when it should take place. It also may cross the line into unconstitutionality by giving students a choice to pray, the judge said.
Previous Illinois law allowed any teacher to hold an optional moment of silence within their classroom, but the current law makes it compulsory.
Information from: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local...
