Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 24, 1994 TAG: 9408240062
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By MICHAEL A. GIARRUSSO ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: SNELLVILLE, GA. NOTE: BELOW LENGTH: Medium
On the first day of school, Brian Bown's American government class listened to his lecture on the Protestant Reformation while the rest of the school observed a state-ordered moment of silence.
He was suspended Tuesday for refusing to comply with the law, which he says is unconstitutional. Legislators pushed the bill as a first step toward getting prayer back in schools.
``What I have to say is very important to say, and they're not taking a minute from me,'' said Bown, a teacher at South Gwinnett High School in suburban Atlanta.
Classes started Monday at many schools in Georgia, and that was the first time many teachers had to order their students to sit quietly for up to one minute at the beginning of the day. The law went into effect July 1, and it was enforced during summer school in some districts.
Similar measures are on the books in other states, although Georgia appears to be alone in strictly enforcing a mandatory moment of silence.
Massachusetts, Tennessee and South Carolina require a moment of silence, but they do not enforce it. Other states allow optional moments of silence.
``I'm sure very few teachers do it,'' said Alan Safran, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Education. ``We don't monitor it and we're not going to.''
Supporters of the Georgia law said it would help students reflect on their activities. Opponents said it was an attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court's ruling against organized prayer in public schools.
Most of Bown's students paid attention to him during the moment of silence on Monday. One student, sophomore Kelly Stock, bowed her head in prayer.
Gwinnett County Superintendent George Thompson told Bown that he would be fired if he did not comply.
The moment of silence is announced over the public address system.
``All he had to do was stand and be silent,'' Thompson said Tuesday. ``He interfered with the students' rights to participate in the moment of silence.''
Berney Kirkland, spokeswoman for the school district, said Bown was suspended with pay. A hearing on Thompson's recommendation to fire him will be held within 10 days.
by CNB