The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is sounding the alarm on the perceived negative effects of a proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution to mandate the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer at the beginning of the day in public schools.
House Bill 231 (HB231), sponsored by State Rep. Reed Ingram (R-Pike Road), is a constitutional amendment (CA), meaning it would require a three-fifths vote by both legislative bodies. A referendum would then appear on the next statewide ballot for a vote from the state's citizenry before it could be ratified.
The bill cleared a House committee on Wednesday, priming it for a vote on the House floor. During the committee hearing, Ingram emphasized that students would not be penalized for declining to participate. Instead, the penalties are reserved for schools that refuse to abide by the would-be law.
The FFRF — a far-left, anti-religion group based in Wisconsin — released a statement on Thursday, decrying the bill as "blatantly unconstitutional."
"This bill is an outrageous attempt to impose religion on captive public school students even as young as 5," said FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor. "Public schools exist to educate, not to evangelize. Religious instruction should be left to the home, where it belongs."
The FFRF, which involves itself in litigation nationwide when it perceives a violation of the separation of church and state, pledged to challenge the bill in court should it reach the finish line.
"The Freedom From Religion Foundation urges Alabama's legislators to reject this unconstitutional bill and stand up for true religious freedom," the watchdog group said in a statement. "If it is enacted, FFRF intends to challenge HB 231 in court to ensure that public schools remain inclusive, secular spaces for all students."
Ingram told 1819 News he chose to pursue a CA instead of a traditional legislative approach to combat the bill's inevitable challenges.
"[I]f they challenge it in court, it will hold up a lot better if it's a [CA], a vote of the people by 80% or 90%; it would really look good in front of a judge," he stated. "That's the reason I did it as a [CA]."
Ingram's CA continues House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter's (R-Rainsville) legislation requiring the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each school day.
Ledbetter's bill was signed into law in 2019 but did not include any enforcement provisions. According to Ingram, his bill includes provisions to penalize school systems that fail to abide by the CA.
On Thursday, Ledbetter didn't seem overly concerned about legal challenges when asked, saying he wouldn't be surprised if 70%-80% of the population voted in favor of the referendum if it appears on a ballot.
"Well, the Pledge of Allegiance bill was something I passed a few years ago; I mean, that's already law," Ledbetter said. "With the prayer bill, I figured kids with a math test probably pray every day anyway. But I don't see anything wrong with it. We're in a state where people believe in that."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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