Reinstate School Period Of Silence

February 3, 1987

School prayer is still prominent on President Ronald Reagan`s agenda. In one of the few specifics contained in a State of the Union address larded with generalities, he reiterated his full support for bringing religion back into the public school system.

The concept is as wrong now as it was in 1962 when the Supreme Court first banned organized prayer in the classroom.

The court is taking a second look at another phase of the debate. If the justices decide the question is properly before them, they will consider reversing a lower court ruling that struck down a New Jersey law allowing daily moments of silence in public schools.

If the court does review the New Jersey case, it should reinstate the period of silence. Under the state law in question, students are encouraged to use the time for ``quiet and private contemplation or introspection.`` Prayer is not mentioned.

In 1985 the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down an Alabama law that sanctioned such periods for ``meditation or voluntary prayer.``

That decision was proper. But it did leave room for moments of silence as long as the law calling for it did not mention or officially endorse prayer. That, too, was proper.

There are sound reasons why organized daily prayer should not be permitted in public school classrooms supported by taxpayers who have many different religious beliefs or none at all.

Opponents of sanctioned prayer in the classroom contend any meditation period is a way to sneak religion back into the school system.

They are looking for problems where there are none.

The New Jersey law does not suggest. If some students do decide on their own that they want to pray silently they should be allowed to do so. Many, of course, would use the brief period to think of lunch, a ball game, a dance, or nothing.

Whatever the thought, allowing a few moments for meditation would be beneficial to those children who use it wisely and do no harm to those who don`t.

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