Local News
SFSC board approves prayer resolution
Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: December 8, 2012
AVON PARK The South Florida Community College Board of Trustees approved a resolution supporting prayers, with specific guidelines, at college events and meetings.Published: December 8, 2012
The college has been working on the prayer resolution for more than six months, said SFSC President Norm Stephens, Jr.
Colleges and universities around the country have a tradition of solemnizing various events like commencement and board meetings, just like city councils do, he said.
The board sought legal council as to how that should be handled to make sure that we are absolutely in compliance with all the laws and the Constitution, Stephens said.
The board's attorney, Andrew Jackson, was aware of the recent Associated Press story about the legal challenges, in Florida and a few other states, to prayer at governmental meetings, Stephens said.
The news story was brought up at Wednesday's Board of Trustees meeting, Stephens said.
"The resolution that we developed was derived from resolutions that had been developed for other government entities around the country, but it has been customized for our college and updated," he said.
The SFSC prayer resolution cites numerous U.S. Supreme Court rulings in support of prayer, including Zorach v. Clauson (1952), which states, the American people have long followed a "custom of opening sessions of all deliberative bodies and most conventions with prayer."
According to the resolution, in order to solemnify, dignify and memorialize events and meetings, prayers may be offered for the benefit of the board and those others participating in the event or the meeting
No one in attendance at meetings or events will be required to participate in any prayers that are offered, the resolution states.
An individual delivering a prayer shall do so in his or her capacity as a private citizen and in accordance with his or her own conscience or belief, according to the resolution.
mvalero@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5826