To provide for a period of quiet reflection at the opening of certain schools on every school day.

March 11, 2003

Mr. SCOTT of Georgia (for himself, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. TANNER, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. FROST, Mr. LUCAS of Kentucky, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. RENZI, Ms. BORDALLO, and Mr. BISHOP of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

To provide for a period of quiet reflection at the opening of certain schools on every school day.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Moment of Quiet Reflection in Schools Act'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) In today's hectic society, all too few of the Nation's citizens are able to experience even a moment of quiet reflection before plunging headlong into the day's activities.

(2) The Nation's young citizens are particularly affected by this absence of an opportunity for a moment of quiet reflection.

(3) The Nation's youth, and society as a whole, would be well served if students were afforded a moment of quiet reflection at the beginning of each day in the public schools.

SEC. 3. MOMENT OF QUIET REFLECTION.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 9536 the following:

`SEC. 9537. MOMENT OF QUIET REFLECTION.

`(a) IN GENERAL- Each local educational agency receiving funds under this Act shall ensure that, at the opening of school on every school day, the teacher in charge of each classroom in each school served by the agency conducts a brief period of quiet reflection for not more than 60 seconds with the participation of all the students assembled in the classroom.

`(b) CONDUCT- A period of quiet reflection under this section shall not be conducted as a religious service or exercise, but shall be considered as an opportunity for a moment of silent reflection on the anticipated activities of the day.

`(c) CONSTRUCTION- This section shall not be construed as prohibiting or restricting constitutionally protected prayer.

`(d) CERTIFICATION- As a condition of receiving funds under this Act, a local educational agency shall certify in writing to the State involved that the agency is in compliance with this section.'.

END