William Helms: “the Voluntary School Prayer Protection Act will make sure that student-initiated prayer is treated the same as all other…”

“the Voluntary School Prayer Protection Act will make sure that student-initiated prayer is treated the same as all other student-initiated free speech--which the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld as constitutionally protected so long as it is done in an appropriate time, place and manner such that it ``does not materially disrupt the school day.'' [Tinker v. Des Moines School District, 393 U.S. 503.] Under this bill, school districts could not continue--in constitutional ignorance--enforcing blanket denials of students' rights to voluntary prayer and religious activity in the schools. For the first time, schools would be faced with real consequences for making uninformed and unconstitutional decisions prohibiting all voluntary prayer. The bill creates a complete system of checks and balances to make sure that school districts do not shortchange their students one way or the other. This proposal, Mr. President, prevents public schools from prohibiting constitutionally protected voluntary student-initiated prayer. It does not mandate school prayer and suggestions to the contrary are simply in error. Nor does it require schools to write any particular prayer, or compel any student to participate in prayer. It does not prevent school districts from establishing appropriate time, place, and manner restrictions on voluntary prayer--the same kind of restrictions that are placed on other forms of speech in the schools.”