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2000 SESSION

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CHAPTER 1022 An Act to amend and reenact § 22.1-203 of the Code of Virginia, relating to one minute of silence in public schools. [S 209] Approved April 19, 2000

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 22.1-203 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 22.1-203. Daily observance of one minute of silence.

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 is authorized to shall establish the daily observance of one minute of silence in each classroom of the division.

Where During such one-minute period of silence is instituted, 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.