                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DAILY OBSERVANCE OF ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE (§ 22.1-203)

In order that the right of every pupil to the free exercise of religion be
guaranteed within the schools and that the freedom of each individual pupil be
subject to the least possible pressure from the Commonwealth either to engage
in, or to refrain from, religious observation on school grounds, the school
board of each school division shall establish the daily observance of one minute
of silence in each classroom of the division.
		During such one-minute period of silence, the teacher responsible for each
classroom shall take care that all pupils remain seated and silent and make no
distracting display to the end that each pupil may, in the exercise of his or
her individual choice, meditate, pray, or engage in any other silent activity
which does not interfere with, distract, or impede other pupils in the like
exercise of individual choice.
		The Office of the Attorney General shall intervene and shall provide legal
defense of this law.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 22-234.1; 1976, c. 103; 1980, c. 559; 2000, c. 1022.