Republican Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota has introduced a draft measure that would require public schools in the state to conduct a minute-long pause that would be free from interference from school officials.
While it doesn't explicitly say that the moment of silence is for prayer, the proposed measure lists prayer, medication, and reflection to be conducted during the momentary pause. Students will be free to choose how to spend their 60 seconds.
"Every student deserves the opportunity to begin their day with a calm, silent moment," Gov. Noem, a 50 year old mother of three explained, as reported by the Christian Headlines. "I hope students will take this opportunity to say a quick prayer or reflect on their upcoming day. However they choose to take advantage of this time, it will be beneficial to students and teachers alike."
According to a press release from the governor's office, the bill would "restore protections for prayer in schools." The draft measure now makes its way through the South Dakota legislature to be passed in order to become law. It argues that teachers ands schoolchildren "are best served by a moment of silence at the start of every school day," allowing them a "reprieve from the frenzy of daily life and to set a tone of decorum that will be conducive to learning."
The proposed measure would also require that each South Dakota school district "provide students and teachers the opportunity each morning" to "have a moment of silence lasting up to one minute." The text of the bill allows students and teachers to perform "voluntary prayer, reflection, meditation, or other quiet, respectful activity" during the 60-second moment of silence. But school faculty and staff may not "dictate the action" of students or teachers at the given time. Moreover, students are also banned from interfering with others during the moment of silence.
The proposed bill clarified that it is not tainted with any religious agenda. It read, "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit schools to conduct the moment of silence as a religious exercise."
According to Newsweek, Gov. Noem previewed the legislation in early 2021 when she promised to "put prayer back in South Dakota schools." The bill is set to be considered by the state's legislature during the 2022 session beginning January 11. This is not the first time Gov. Noem attempted to introduce religion-inspired measures in public schools. In 2019, she ordered all public schools in the state to display the national motto "In God We Trust," which sparked opposition from groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which argued that the requirement would lead to "more onerous things."
Gov. Noem's latest move may be one to appeal to conservatives and the religious as she gears up for a reelection campaign. According to Aberdeen News, the Republican leader is "enjoying strong statewide support for her performance" during the past three years of her tenure as governor. A survey conducted on 500 registered voters in South Dakota showed that most of them or 61.2% strongly or somewhat approved of her performance across give topic areas. Republicans were the most supportive of Gov. Noem, with 74.5% of them strongly or somewhat in approval of her performance these past three years.
