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Crist Signs School Prayer Bill
North Escambia News, June 6, 2010

Gov. Charlie Crist signed a once controversial school prayer bill that was watered down throughout the legislative session into law Friday.

The measure, HB 31, grew out of a Panhandle dispute where the Santa Rosa School District had teachers sign a consent decree not to participate in any religious activity at school. The new law prohibits districts from forcing any school personnel to not participate in religious activity. The measure also bars school officials from preaching or promoting prayers during school functions and organizing school-sponsored religious services.

“Our First Amendment rights, granted to us by the U.S. Constitution are absolute, and this law ensures that they remain that way,” said Rep. Greg Evers.

Evers said the law is designed to preempt future ACLU attacks on the First Amendment protections of freedom of speech, including religious speech, such as the recent attack in Santa Rosa County that led to then-Pace High School Student Body President Mary Allen being censored and barred from speaking at her own high school graduation, as well as Pace High School Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman being charged with criminal contempt of court for offering a blessing at an adults-only event.

“I applaud the governor for signing this good bill into law today,” said Evers. “Our First Amendment rights, granted to us by the U.S. Constitution are absolute, and this law ensures that they remain that way. With the signing of this bill, students, like Mary Allen who want to thank God in a commencement speech or students who want to bow their head in silent prayer before taking a test, may now do so without fear of being questioned or stopped. This law will also serve to protect school officials, like Principal Frank Lay and Athletic Director Robert Freeman, from special interests who would like to see the First Amendment rights of students, faculty and Floridians restricted, or worse, denied.”

First amendment advocates noted that the bill could have unintended consequences though. Frank LaMonte of the he Student Press Association in Washington, D.C. Told the News Service last month that the legislation may unshackle student newspapers from the usual oversight of school administrators, effectively putting Florida among seven states – none in the Southeast – which have passed laws endorsing free expression for students.

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