Because Montana has nothing else to worry about, Republicans are trying to inject God into the public schools and they’re using a moment of silence to make it happen.
HB 543, sponsored by Republican State Rep. Bob Phalen, has already passed the State House. It would force all K-12 students to say the Pledge of Allegiance every day (instead of once a week as is currently the case for older kids), and it would also allow districts to follow the Pledge with a moment of silence.
So far, all of this is a giant waste of time. It’s not illegal though.
But now that the bill is being debated in the State Senate, it’s clear Republicans want to head in that direction. On Monday, State Rep. Scot Kerns offered up an amendment to the bill that would unnecessarily add a “moment of silent prayer” to the bill.