Florida Senate - 2020                                     SB 946
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00745B-20                                           2020946__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to moments of silence in public
    3         schools; amending s. 1003.45, F.S.; providing
    4         legislative findings; requiring that public school
    5         principals require teachers to set aside time for a
    6         moment of silence at the beginning of each school day;
    7         specifying the duration of the required moment of
    8         silence; prohibiting teachers from making suggestions
    9         as to the nature of any reflection that a student may
   10         engage in during the moment of silence; deleting a
   11         provision authorizing district school boards to
   12         provide a brief period of silent prayer or meditation;
   13         requiring certain teachers to encourage parents to
   14         discuss the moment of silence with their children and
   15         to make suggestions as to the best use of this time;
   16         providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Section 1003.45, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   21  read:
   22         1003.45 Permitting study of the Bible and religion;
   23  requiring a moment of silence permitting brief meditation
   24  period.—
   25         (1) The district school board may install in the public
   26  schools in the district a secular program of education
   27  including, but not limited to, an objective study of the Bible
   28  and of religion.
   29         (2) The Legislature finds that in the hectic society of
   30  today, too few persons are able to experience even a moment of
   31  quiet reflection before plunging headlong into the activities of
   32  daily life. Young persons are particularly affected by the
   33  absence of an opportunity for a moment of quiet reflection. The
   34  Legislature finds that our youth, and society as a whole, would
   35  be well served if students in the public schools were afforded a
   36  moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.
   37         (3) The principal of each public school shall require
   38  teachers in first-period classrooms in all grades to set aside
   39  at least 1 minute, but district school board may provide that a
   40  brief period, not more than to exceed 2 minutes, daily, for a
   41  moment the purpose of silence, during which students may not
   42  interfere with other students’ participation. A teacher may not
   43  make suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a
   44  student may engage in during the moment of silence silent prayer
   45  or meditation be set aside at the start of each school day or
   46  each school week in the public schools in the district.
   47         (4) Each such teacher shall encourage parents to discuss
   48  the moment of silence with their children and to make
   49  suggestions as to the best use of this time.
   50         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.