Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill requiring the state’s public schools to offer students a moment of silence to start each day that would allow them to “reflect and be able to pray as they see fit.”
“The idea that you can just push God out of every institution and be successful, I’m sorry, our Founding Fathers did not believe that,” DeSantis said of the new law.
The bill, which DeSantis signed at a Jewish community center called the Shul of Bal Harbour, required public schools to offer a two-minute moment of silence in the classroom. Principals will be required to direct first-period teachers to institute the two-minute moment of silence, which students can use to reflect in their own personal way.
The law prohibits teachers from making “suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a student may engage in during the moment of silence” while students “may not interfere with other students’ participation.”
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The bill mandates that teachers encourage parents to talk to their students about the moment of silence so parents can “make suggestions as to the best use” of their time.
Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez also celebrated the legislation, boasting that the bill will “allow for religious freedom and allow for students to have a minute or two at the start of their day.”
But Democrats argue Republicans were deceptive during debate over the legislation, which state Sen. and bill sponsor Dennis Baxley said in April was simply meant to give students a moment “just to stop and reflect.”
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House sponsor state Rep. Randy Fine of Brevard County made similar remarks in February, saying at the time that the measure was not meant to push religion in public schools.
“The Republican who sponsored the bill said that it wasn’t about prayer in school. (Of course it was!) But when you question their motives, or their honesty, it’s called a personal attack & deemed out of order,” Democratic state Rep. Omari Hardy said of the legislation. “No. The Republicans lie, and we need to call them on it every time.”
