Back in 2005, the Virginia House passed a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the rights of individuals to pray openly at public schools, but it failed to emerge from committee in the State Senate. They are trying again, after voting today to add a paragraph including: "the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including public schools, shall not be infringed."
Proponents of church-state separation are not impressed:
Opponents suggested that the measure would allow teachers to offer public prayers in front of a classroom, violating the rights of nonbelieving students and those of another faith.
“The supporters of this amendment don’t know what it means to be a religious minority,” said Del. David Englin, D-Alexandria, who is Jewish.
Kent Willis, executive director of the Virginia ACLU, said after the vote that the measure appears to allow “clearly unconstitutional prayers.”
