Alabama clergy to protest prayer in schools, 10 commandments bills in Montgomery

Clergy members will gather at the Alabama State House in Montgomery to speak out against the passages of several bills related to church protests, as well as prayer and the ten commandments in schools. 

HB 43 and 511 requires school boards to institute policies for school prayer; HB 179 and HB 216 requires the Ten Commandments poster to be hung in classrooms; and HB 363 classifies protests in churches to be a felony. 

A press release from the Interfaith Alliance of Central Alabama describe the legislations to be "unconstitutional," with the protests in churches bill to be an "unnecessary overreach". 

The press release stated the following: 

• They believe in the power of prayer, and that government-sponsored prayer diminishes the independence and freedom of religious institutions. Prayer is a deeply personal matter best left to families and faith communities, not government officials.
• The school chaplain bill places untrained, unregulated religious persons in our schools and places an undue burden on minority religious groups in Alabama to provide chaplains for their students.
• The Ten Commandments bill imposes scripture on students, violating the rights of parents, families, and faith communities to decide if, when, and how religious doctrine is taught to children.
• The No Protests in Churches bill is already Alabama law, and this bill merely increases the punishment for disrupting a church service, which adds further burden to Alabama’s already overworked justice system. Freedom of speech protects everyone.

A prayer vigil and rally is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Alabama State House on 11 S Union Street in Montgomery.