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REPORT (Misc. #94305) December 8, 1994
BY: General Government Committee, Donald Jensen, Chairperson
RE: MR 94305 Board of Commissioners-Reinstatement of Voluntary
Prayer in Public Schools
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Chair..paraan, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The General Government Committee, having reviewed the above-
referenced resolution on November 28, 1994, reports with the
recommendation that the resolution be adopted.
chairperRnn, on behalf of the General Government Committee,
move acceptance of the foregoing report.
0 -lir
General Govern t Committee
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #94305
BY: Donald W. Jensen, Commissioner, District 13
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - REINSTATEMENT OF VOLUNTARY
PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the United States of America was founded by men with
varied religious beliefs and ideals; and
WHEREAS the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...", which
means that the government is prohibited from establishing a state
religion, however, no barriers shall be erected against the
practice of any religion; and
WHEREAS the estsh7ishmeni- clause of the First Amendment was
not drafted to protect Americans from religion, rather, its purpose
was clearly to protect Americans from governmental mandates with
respect to religion; and
WHEREAS through time, certain court decisions and interest
groups have contributed to the deterioration of our LQundaZ4owkaa
religious beliefs and ideals to the extent that voluntary prayer of
any denomination has been banned from the public school system in
direct contradiction of the free exercise clause of the First
Amendment; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners strongly
believes that reinstitution of voluntary prayer in the public
schools is one step in the restoration of religious choice
guaranteed by the Constitution, and will assist in moving this
nation toward those religious rights and beliefs upon which the
nation was founded.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners strongly urges that voluntary prayer be returned to
the public school systems of this nation and invites all cities,
counties, and the State of Michigan to join in an effort to effect
the reinstatement of voluntary prayer in public schools by uniting
in a grass roots movement for that purpose.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be
forwarded to all cities, villages and townships in the County of
Oakland; to all counties in the state; and to all elected officials
representing Oakland County in the Congress and State Legislature.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
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Resolution #94305 December U. 1994
Moved by Jensen supported by Powers the General Government Committee Report
be accepted.
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the report was accepted.
Moved by Jensen supported by Powers the resolution be adopted.
Moved by Moffitt supported by Obrecht the resolution be amended as follows:
In the fifth line of the last WHEREAS paragraph, delete the word
"religious" so the line reads "...nation toward those rights and ..."; also, in
the second line of the NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED paragraph, insert the word
"individual" so the line reads "...urges that individual voluntary prayer be
returned..."; and finally, add an additional BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED paragraph,
which reads:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall not be construed
to favor one religion over another, nor to facilitate designation of prayer
content by anyone other than the individual praying."
Moved by Pernick supported by Kaczmar the resolution be referred back to
the General Government Committee.
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion to refer
failed.
Moved by Pernick supported by Kaczmar the resolution be laid on the table.
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed.
Vote on Moffitt's amendment:
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the amendment carried.
Moved by Kingzett supported by Pernick the resolution be amended by adding
an additional paragraph, to read:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the time used for voluntary prayer shall
not reduce the amount of time available for instructional purposes."
Discussion followed.
AYES: Kaczmer, Kingzett, Crake. (3)
NAYS: Douglas, Garfield, Gosling, Jensen, Kramer, Law, McCulloch, Moffitt,
Newby, Oaks, Obrecht, Palmer, Pernick, Powers, Schmid. (15)
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed.
Discussion followed.
Moved by Kingzett supported by Pernick the resolution be amended by adding
an additional paragraph, to read:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that equal time shall be allowed for members
of each religion, denomination or sect represented in a classroom."
Discussion followed.
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the amendment failed.
Moved by Pernick supported by Obrecht the resolution be amended, in the
first WHEREAS paragraph, after the words ",..founded by men", add the words "and
woman".
A sufficient majority having voted therefor, the amendment carried.
Resolution 494305 continued December 8, 1994
Vote on resolution, as amended:
AYES: Garfield, Gosling, Jensen
Powers, Crake, Douglas, (11)
NAYS: Kaczmar, Kingzett, Oaks, Pernick, Taub.
A sufficient majority not having voted therefor, the motion failed and the
resolution was not adopted.
, Kramer, Law, McCulloch, Obrecht, Palmer,
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lynn D. Allen, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the
foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the
Oakland County Board of Commissioners on December 5, 1994 with the original
record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and,af,ifixed the se4.1.qe;the
County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 8th day o
D. Allen, County Clerk