The Louisiana Senate has unanimously passed a bill that will allow teachers and coaches to pray with students while on the job. If it becomes law, you can bet it’ll be the subject of a number of lawsuits since federal law prevents staffers from participating in student-led prayers.
State Sen. Ryan Gatti is behind SB 512, a bill that would let staffers pray with kids as long as it doesn’t interfere with their work and as long as every parent or legal guardian of the students in attendance “has submitted a signed request that the employee may participate in the gathering or pray with his child.”
Gatti believes this requirement will allow the bill to succeed where other attempts have failed.
… Sen. Gatti is cautiously optimistic that the measure will pass Constitutional scrutiny.
“Our approach is different and should work,” Sen. Gatti told BossierNow, then added: “No promises.”
“No promises” is right, because the problems are evident.
Gatti clearly wants, for example, a football coach to be able to pray with his athletes before a game. Right now, that’s illegal because it’s a form of coercion. If you’re an atheist on the team and you don’t want to join in the prayer circle, the coach’s participation would make you think twice. You don’t want to get on his bad side, since it could mean less playing time (or the accusation that you’re not a team player), which could lead to fewer opportunities for success or scholarships.
But the permission slips wouldn’t change that.
What if you’re a student whose parents don’t know you’re an atheist? Are you going to be forced to come out to them, or will you ask them to sign the form just so you can play along? It’s another kind of religious coercion. The students in that case would be pressured to keep their mouths shut and go along with the coach’s religion.
Not getting it signed by your parents would put an even larger target on your back since everyone would know you’re the reason the coach can’t pray with the team.
Students should never be put in a position where they have to decide between their religious beliefs or keeping their coach or teacher happy. This legislation would make that problem worse.
Read the full story at the Friendly Atheist Blog
