Senate Bill 11 has passed the House and the Senate and is awaiting signature from Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican and a Christian (shown below).
"You know with the Coach (Joe) Kennedy case it greatly expanded religious liberties. It was a huge victory for religious liberties, and the Supreme Court, of course with President (Donald) Trump appointees,” makes this a good time to pursue a time prayer during the school day, says Senator Mayes Middleton, the bill’s author.
Plus, the program is voluntary, he said.
"You don't have to opt-in to the period of prayer. You don't have to participate as a student or as a teacher and you can opt out at any time so any challenge against it would be totally meritless."
Middleton says that our schools are not God-free zones, and something like this rights a wrong from the 1960s when atheists were successful in getting rid of prayer in school.
His bill is not the only Christian legislation being considered by Texas lawmakers.
The House and Senate have both passed a bill that would put the Ten Commandments in classrooms in spite of a federal court ruling that a similar effort in Louisiana violated the separation of church and state.
In addition, the Senate has passed a bill requiring school districts to use materials and instruct staff to use the terms B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini, In the year of our Lord) in calendar discussions. Some academics prefer “Before Common era (B.C.E) and Common Era (C.E.).
Middleton encourages legislators in other states to follow his lead.
"You know, it was a bunch of far-left Democrats that were against SB11, and they were actually saying that prayer was dangerous," says Middleton. "Yet, when we have had bills before the legislature that removed obscene materials from classrooms and libraries, they were against that, so it's incredible that they're saying that prayer is dangerous but that seeing (obscene) materials for children is just fine."
