[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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