Southeast Missouri lawmakers hold rally to tout idea of prayer

JACKSON, Mo. -- Three area lawmakers pushed for prayer in public schools at an event staged Friday outside Jackson High School.

State Reps. Rod Jetton, Patrick Naeger and David Schwab said they want to amend the state and national constitutions to allow voluntary prayer in public schools.

They back a measure by U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson that seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution. Emerson's measure, introduced in May, has languished in a congressional committee.

The three state lawmakers hope their actions will prod Congress to pass Emerson's legislation.

They also want the state legislature to put before Missouri voters a measure to amend the state constitution to allow prayer in public schools even though they concede that could bring a court fight.

"We are going to pass this thing," said Jetton, R-Marble Hill, who let others standing on the sidewalk do most of the talking at the event. About 40 people, including ministers and high school students, attended the rally.

Schwab, R-Jackson, said it's time to put prayer back in the public schools. "We certainly got away from what our founding fathers intended," he said.

Naeger, who attended parochial school, agreed.

The Perryville Republican said state House members prayed in Jefferson City after the terrorists attacks on Sept. 11.

"Nobody arrested us. Nobody threw us out of office," he said, arguing that students should have the same right.

Naeger said he has received hundreds of petitions demanding that the government allow prayer in schools.

The founders of the U.S. Constitution envisioned freedom of religion, not freedom from religion, he said.

The Rev. Grant Gillard of the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson said laws today have taken prayer out of public life.