This story was originally published in the first edition of The Lion’s Tale (October 7th, 2021).

For the 2021-2022 school year the Florida Statutes introduced a new component to Chapter 1003.43 instituting the mandatory “Moment of Silence”. In simpler terms, students in Seminole County Public Schools are now expected to undergo a moment of silence each morning of the school year in their first period classes.

This portion of the chapter allows students the time to take one to two minutes before class begins to engage in a time of complete silence before “plunging head-long into the activities of daily life,”(Florida Statutes 1003.45). This option was available for schools and teachers to follow in previous years, but it had only been made mandatory this school year.

Although there is certain information regarding this topic in the chapter itself, there still had been some uncertainty among students who felt that it may not have been properly introduced or explained to the student body by the school itself.

“I do not think I, or anyone else was fully informed about the moment of silence. I’m sure it was emailed out somewhere, but I feel like it should have been more explained to the students.” said junior Kaylin Herbet.

An email had been sent out to the students pertaining to the minute of silence along with a brief explanation handed out to students in first period classes, but neither truly specified the intended purpose behind this school year’s mandatory moment of silence.

When directed at the specific chapter in the Florida Statutes, this is where students would be able to find that this portion of the class period was set apart with the betterment of the youth in the school along with allowing students to take time for “an objective study of the Bible and of religion,” as was mentioned in the chapter (1003.45).

This provides OHS students with the opportunity to use this time towards religious reasons, or any other personal reasonings they feel would benefit them.

“Any time students can reflect upon themselves and their personal feelings, desires, and current/future situation, it is a good thing. It depends on each individual student to use the time wisely or not,” said Daniel.

With this mandatory implementation of a moment for silence each morning, students are given the opportunity to spend a minute of reflection or analysis on anything of their choosing.