BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Boise, Idaho — A new proposal introduced this morning in the Idaho House Education Committee would require public schools to observe 60 seconds of silence at the start of each school day, placing Idaho among a growing number of states debating, and in some cases mandating, daily “moments of silence” for students.
The draft legislation, introduced by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, is still in its early stages and has not yet been printed or assigned a formal House Bill number. According to committee activity, the proposal would make the one-minute pause mandatory statewide, though the precise wording — including how the silence may be used and what guidance teachers may give- has not yet been decided.
Supporters describe such measures as a neutral way to help students settle in, reduce anxiety, and prepare for learning. Critics counter that similar laws have functioned as religiously motivated policies in disguise, raising constitutional concerns about prayer in public schools…