KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Do Missourians need more protection when it comes to praying in public?
That’s one of the questions voters will be asked to weigh-in on when they go to the polls next Tuesday. Amendment Two – known as “Right to Pray” – is drawing a lot of controversy and opinions across the political spectrum.
Supporters of the amendment say it better defines Missourians First Amendment rights and will help protect the vast majority of the state’s population, which according to surveys is nearly 80 percent Christian.
Proponents of the measure say that it will send a message that it’s acceptable to read a bible in study hall, or pray before a city council meeting.
But oppenents point out that those freedoms are already provided in the U.S. Constitution, and that a part of the amendment could create a slippery slope for the expectations of students in Missouri’s schools. According to the amendment, no student would be required to take part in school assignments that violate his or her religious beliefs.
According to a recent poll by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the measure is supported by 82 percent of registered voters.
