An Aurora church is leading a petition drive to get school prayer on the ballot.
Bishop Kevin Foreman and his 2-year-old Final Harvest Christian Center received state approval Wednesday for a petition asking voters whether Colorado statutes should be changed to provide students five minutes for private meditation at the beginning of each school day.
During the five minutes, the petition states, the students could invoke private or group prayer or have personal meditation or reflection time.
The Colorado secretary of state’s office confirmed today that the petition has been approved for circulation.
Final Harvest Deacon Tiffinay Dawson said church members will be working hard to collect 120,000 signatures in order to secure the requisite 76,000 by Aug. 4 for a ballot spot in November.
“We answer to a higher power, and all things are possible,” Dawson said of the tight schedule.
Dawson said the nondenominational and multicultural Final Harvest church at 11000 E. Yale Ave. has 200 to 250 members who will be seeking signatures at church, shopping centers and other venues.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1962 and 1963 that neither government-scripted prayers, the Lord’s Prayer nor Bible reading could take place in public schools. The court left open the question of whether it was constitutional to provide time for silent prayer or meditation. Since then, 23 states have permitted teachers to lead students in a moment of silence, and 13 states require it, according to The Center for Public Justice.
Neither the Colorado Council of Churches nor Focus on the Family would comment on the petition yet, spokesmen said, because they had just learned of it.
Neither the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Colorado Catholic Conference or Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance could be reached for comment.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com
