New College officials deny new board member's request for prayer

[Zorro]

In a possible sign of the conflicts to come, new board of trustees member Eddie Speir says his request to open New College of Florida's meeting with a prayer was rebuffed by college officials.

The founder and chairman of a Bradenton Christian school, Speir and five others were appointed to New College's board earlier this month by Gov. Ron DeSantis in a bid to take the school in a more conservative direction.

The DeSantis administration has talked about modeling New College on Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian school in Michigan. That has raised concerns among some New College supporters about overtly religious elements being introduced at New College, a public liberal arts school.

Speir's early efforts to inject religion into the college's proceedings could heighten those concerns.

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2023/01/23/desantis-appointee-to-new-college-of-florida-board-says-prayer-request-denied/69832118007/

Here we go...

[Sky Jewels]

1. Good!

It needs to be rebuffed much more. Congress needs to stop the prayer bullshit, too.

Stop pushing supernatural nonsense on Americans. Keep the telepathic talk with your imaginary invisible friends in your home and church or temple or whatever.

[hildegaard28]

2. Somebody needs to

Remind these people that there's this little thing called separation of church and state. Also, they can pray in their heads before the meeting if they want. The end result will be the same.

[niyad]

3. Pray on your time and dime, not mine!

[magicarpet]

4. Praise the Lord,... teach only the Bible in college,.. nothing more.

[Liberal In Texas]

10. Stepford Children. n/t

[Thomas Hurt]

5. Dude can pray to himself just like Christ suggested.

[lostnfound]

6. This could end up like Kent State... desantis is evil enough to insist

And New College is brimming with anti-fascism.
But there’s only 660 students..so easier for desatan to run over

[Takket]

7. Anyone can bow their head and pray in silence any time they want

There is no reason it needs to be mandated on anyone else to listen to or participate in. A school is not a church.

[malaise]

8. Two stories

Someone tried that shit in a meeting with a few of us a few some years ago. We suggested that she read the statutes and stop trying to impose her worldview on the institution. That was that.

We were asked to be judges at a student debate. The debate was over - we announced the winner and then the sponsor from an international association got up to speak and started proselytizing her religion. I touched the judges on both sides of me and said I'm leaving. All three of us walked out in the middle of her nonsense and so did many of the students.

Don't try that shit in my presence.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Wish there was a way to protect the in Florida based on some kind of

bona fide need.

Don't know the law enough to figure out how that would be argued.

But, it's obvious that when De Santis overrides the electoral process by appointing board members, it just suggest a lawsuit has to be in coming soon.

[Timeflyer]

11. The takeover by Christofascist conservatives of FL education is relentless.

Everyday DeSadist and his allies open a new front in the war against freedom and truth here.