Hello John,
Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin put it well in guest opinion published in today's Arizona Daily Star. He wrote Arizona's Moment of Silence in public schools is "a meaningful way that Arizona’s schools are telling each and every child: You matter. Your culture matters. Your values matter."

This is why Governor Doug Ducey signed legislation ([link removed]) in April to establish a Moment of Silence ([link removed]) in the school day.

Read Rabbi Ceitlin's essay below.


** Local Opinion: Silence That Speaks Volumes
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Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin
Arizona Daily Star ([link removed])
June 1, 2022
In April, I had the honor of standing in the Arizona State Capitol as Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation mandating a moment of quiet reflection at the start of each day at public and charter schools. Present were House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, and Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, who sponsored House Bill 2707.

In reflecting on the importance of the “Moment of Silence” bill, I looked back at my native country of Canada.

Canadians are known for their politeness and friendliness but hidden beneath that friendly exterior was a terrible institutional disgrace: For much of the 20th century, and as recently as 1997, the Canadian government operated infamous “residential schools.” Indigenous peoples were compelled to send their children to these institutions, whose goal was to separate them from their culture and traditions and to assimilate them into “the dominant culture.”

The results were dreadful, to say the least. Students who survived this experience suffer from ongoing trauma, as they were seriously abused and demeaned during their time of separation from their families. Some did not survive.

In 2008, Prime Minister Steven Harper issued a formal apology. “These objectives were based on the assumption aboriginal cultures and spiritual beliefs were inferior and unequal,” he said. “Indeed, some sought, as it was infamously said, ‘to kill the Indian in the child.’ Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.”

This atrocious “re-education” effort will remain a black mark on my home country’s history forever. It also highlights the importance of each child’s cultural upbringing and the role parents must have as partners in the educational system. Arizona’s Moment of Silence legislation recognizes that each child has a unique upbringing with values that should be cherished and that those values should be given room for contemplation in the classroom.

The Moment of Silence law makes room for students to spend a minute or two in quiet thought. By its nature and design, it is nonsectarian — and has therefore weathered litigation and is permitted or mandated in some 36 states to date. As Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote in 1986, “school-led moments of silence, unlike school-led prayers, are often permissible because they are not inherently religious and do not coerce participation in a religious act.”

The Moment of Silence specifically does not require or suggest that the children think about anything in particular during that moment. Their teachers do not tell them what to think about. Instead, they can ask their parents or guardians — which gives space for meaningful conversations to take place at home between parents and children.

Parents and children are constantly in communication as they begin their day, conclude their day, and squeeze in after-school clubs and chores. But interaction should not be confused with connection — which is crucial to a child’s development. Studies have shown that parent-child connectedness (PCC) is critical to helping children avoid risky behavior such as drug and alcohol abuse.

Plenty needs to be done about education, and our elected officials are accountable for implementing that. But this is an important step in improving education in Arizona. It’s a meaningful way that Arizona’s schools are telling each and every child: You matter. Your culture matters. Your values matter.

Yes, it’s just a minute. But its effects resonate far, far longer than that.
Read the full article here ([link removed]) .

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