[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 35 (Wednesday, March 25, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1512]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        AMERICAN SCHOOLS ARE SAFER FROM RELIGION THAN FROM DRUGS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, people throughout this Nation are being 
denied a fundamental right, the right to freely express their religious 
beliefs. It is a shame that I have reason to make that statement here 
in the United States in the year 1998, but it is a sad fact. Please 
allow me to list a few examples.
  One example, a judge ruled in favor of a teacher who gave a young 
Tennessee student an F on a research paper, simply because she decided 
to write the paper about Jesus. On three separate occasions, St. Louis 
school system officials put a fourth grade student in detention for 
bowing his head to say a private prayer over lunch.
  Mr. Speaker, students from schools across the country have been 
prohibited from bringing the best-selling book in America to school, 
the Bible. At the same time, the Justice Department reports that 
100,000 young people bring guns to school every day. It is a sad 
commentary on our Nation to say that our schools are safer from 
religion than they are from illegal drugs.
  Mr. Speaker, this country was built upon Judeo-Christian values. I 
believe we are in real trouble now that we have reached a time when, 
sadly, those values are being attacked and not protected. Every 
American, our children in their formative years especially, should be 
allowed to freely explore and express their religious beliefs that 
include voluntary school prayer.
  My good friend, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Ernest Istook) 
recognized this fact, and has seen the many threats to religious 
liberties in this Nation. He has taken action. I am proud to be part of 
the team of over 150 cosponsors, Democrat and Republican, supporting 
the religious liberty amendment proposed by the gentleman from Oklahoma 
(Mr. Istook). I believe it is the right step to protect one of our most 
fundamental rights which has been so frequently infringed upon 
recently.
  The religious freedom amendment corrects court actions and trends 
which have suppressed religious expressions. It will permit student-
initiated procedures in public schools. The proposal retains the First 
Amendment safeguard against official religion and keeps school prayer 
voluntary, but protects it, just as other forms of free speech are 
protected.
  Specifically, if approved by a two-thirds margin of both Houses of 
Congress and ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the 
States, the religious freedom amendment will add the following words to 
the United States Constitution:
  ``To secure the people's right to acknowledge God according to the 
dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall 
establish any official religion, but the people's right to pray and to 
recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public 
property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United 
States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or 
other religious activities, prescribe school prayers, discriminate 
against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of 
religion.''
  I commend my good friend, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook), 
for presenting us with this opportunity to defend religious freedom in 
America, and for following the will of the people, as we in this 
Congress are elected to do.
  Public opinion polls have shown time and time again that three-
quarters of Americans support a constitutional amendment to allow 
voluntary prayer in public schools and to protect religious liberties. 
I urge my colleagues to listen to their constituents, and to join in 
this effort to protect the right of religious expression in America. 
Support House Joint Resolution 78.

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