Hortense Lawson Credit: Courtesy of Frank Fuller

Moment of Silence Goes to Court

On Monday, state Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a brief defending a state law requiring a mandatory moment of silence at the beginning of the day in Texas schools. A case challenging the constitutionality of the law is set to go before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. In the brief, Abbott argues that the law serves a “secular purpose,” which is to “provide an opportunity for students to engage in thoughtful contemplation.” But opponents of the law see it as a maneuver by religious conservatives to sneak prayer into schools through the back door. The plaintiffs in the case, the Croft family, brought a suit against Gov. Rick Perry and the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District in 2006, complaining that the law violated church-state separation. A federal judge found the law to be constitutional in January, so now the Crofts are back in court. The case is set to go before a judge sometime this fall. – Justin Ward

This article appears in August 8 • 2008.

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Amy Smith has been writing about Austin policy and politics for over 20 years. She joined The Austin Chronicle in 1996.

The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.