Judge’s Ruling May Not Have A Prayer In Alabama

A federal judge struck down Alabama’s school prayer law Thursday, a ruling likely to be ignored in a Bible Belt state where politicians encourage religious expression in classrooms and courtrooms.

“I will be curious to see if the ruling is obeyed,” said Michael Chandler, an assistant principal at Valley Head Middle School, who fought the 1993 measure requiring all school-related events to permit “non-sectarian, non-proselytizing student-initiated, voluntary prayer.”

Chandler and a student’s mother contended the law forced teachers to allow students to pray out loud in class and give readings from the Bible, with students told to stand in the hall if they didn’t want to take part.

U.S. District Judge Ira DeMent said the law violates the Constitution by creating “excessive entanglement” between religion and state and leaving some students with “no choice but to listen to the prayers of their peers.”

Gov. Fob James said through a spokesman that he believes the First Amendment allows every American to pray “whenever and wherever” and that he would not tell the people of Alabama to obey the ruling.

“I’m sure he would tell folks to have at it,” said spokesman Alfred Sawyer.

The ruling comes at a time when James and other political figures have rallied behind a state judge in Gadsden who has been ordered to stop conducting prayers at the start of court sessions and to remove a carved display of the Ten Commandments from behind his bench.

James has said he would send in state troopers if necessary to support expressions of religious faith in Alabama courtrooms.