45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2002

RELATING TO THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS; ESTABLISHING A ONE-MINUTE PERIOD OF SILENCE IN THE CLASSROOM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] DAILY OBSERVANCE OF ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE.--

A. In order that the right of every student to the free exercise of religion be guaranteed within the public schools and that the freedom of each individual student be subject to the least possible pressure from the state either to engage in or refrain from religious observation on school grounds, the state board shall require all school districts to establish the daily observance of one minute of silence in each classroom of the district.

B. During the one-minute period of silence, the teacher responsible for each classroom shall take care that all students remain seated and silent and make no distracting display, to the end that each student may, in the exercise of his individual choice, meditate, pray or engage in any other silent activity that does not interfere with, distract or impede other students in the like exercise of individual choice."