Vitter Re-Introduces Resolution Supporting Voluntary Prayer at School Board Meetings |
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January 22, 2007 - (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter today introduced a resolution supporting the right to open school board meetings with a prayer. Last year courts banned prayers during the opening of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board meetings as unconstitutional. “A small but active group of radical judges are trying to chip away at right to free religious expression,” said Vitter. “Our constitutional fathers didn’t intend to prohibit all mention of God or expression of religion. The First Amendment protects the freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.” Vitter’s resolution reaffirms that voluntary prayer by an elected body should be protected under law and that the Supreme Court was right when it said that courts cannot single out and punish religious speech simply because it’s religion. “The U.S. Senate opens every day with a prayer, as does the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures across the country. School boards should not be treated any differently,” Vitter said. |