Florida Senate - 2021                                     SB 282
       
       
        
       By Senator Baxley
       
       
       
       
       
       12-00083-21                                            2021282__
    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 certain teachers to set aside time
    6         for a moment of silence at the beginning of each
    7         school day; specifying the duration of the required
    8         moment of silence; prohibiting teachers from making
    9         suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a
   10         student may engage in during the moment of silence;
   11         deleting a provision authorizing district school
   12         boards to provide a brief period of silent prayer or
   13         meditation; requiring certain teachers to encourage
   14         parents or guardians to discuss the moment of silence
   15         with their children and to make suggestions as to the
   16         best use of this time; 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 today’s hectic society
   30  too few persons are able to experience even a moment of quiet
   31  reflection before plunging headlong into the activities of daily
   32  life. Young persons are particularly affected by the absence of
   33  an opportunity for a moment of quiet reflection. The Legislature
   34  finds that our youth, and society as a whole, would be well
   35  served if students in the public schools were afforded a moment
   36  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 first-period classroom teacher shall encourage
   48  parents or guardians to discuss the moment of silence with their
   49  children and to make suggestions as to the best use of this
   50  time.
   51         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.