The schools in the Mat-Su will have one minute of silence at the beginning of each day. On a vote of five to one, the Mat-Su School Board enacted a school district policy on Wednesday, one that has students and teachers observing 60 seconds of silence each school day.
That time is the opportunity to pray. Or students may think about the last lesson in Marxist ideology that was presented in their history class the day before, or which version of LGBTQ a student wants to identify as on that particular day. Students can use the time to memorize their times tables or think about who to ask to prom. Or they can just take a moment to enjoy silence, which has its own important lessons, according to many educators.
One member of the school board voted no: Dwight Probasco said it’s just one more thing teachers have to do. And, he said, moments of silence should be reserved for death.
The resolution was introduced by School Board President Ryan Ponder at a recent meeting. Other than member Probasco objecting, there was little negative response from the public. In fact, the most forceful response came from the Anchorage Daily News, which called the minute of silence “compulsory” and reported that some students will have a hard time sitting still for one minute.
Teachers in the Mat-Su are prohibited from suggesting to students how they use that minute of silence and may not encourage prayer or no prayer.
In Florida in 2021, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that have schools across the state holding a daily moment of silence for at least one minute, and up to two minutes. The legislation that made its way through the Florida legislature said, “The Legislature finds that our youth, and society as a whole, would be well served if students in the public schools were afforded a moment of silence at the beginning of each school day.”
During the debate over that state law, atheist organizations spoke out against the bill, saying it was a way of sneaking prayer into schools.
Silence is Golden! Praise God!!
What is wrong with the good old fashioned pledge of allegiance?
Can’t help but think there are much, much bigger issues needing attention.
Next: prayer.
Ummm…what exactly do teachers have to ‘do’ during a minute of silence?
A simple, single minute….
Of silence.
In my day, the kids who wouldn’t sit still were appropriately sent to Special Ed.
One minute of thoughts! Is a good stance! It’s called reflection! Use that minute anyway? You want to!
Now I feel robotic l!?????
Do they still do the pledge of allegiance too the flag in school?
Good. People need to get their minds right. Some may need a little more help than others to achieve success. When I last taught shop 2 years ago, we said the Pledge of allegiance twice, once in English and once in Yupik. Most of my students chose not to participate which I thought was dad. I recited it in both languages.
First focus on the family started bring your bible to school day with encouraging responce by millions of students particpating, second student choosing bible topic or character for project, third a one minute quiet time for public prayer, third student-led bible study club. All legal!
So, a minute a day of nothing pulled out of the time we are paying dearly for.
For what?
I am not really sure…
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