Judge lets conservative group defend 'moment of silence' law

A federal judge Monday welcomed the input of a conservative group seeking to uphold the "moment of silence" law in Illinois that mandates a moment of silence in Illinois schools for students to pray or meditate.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman allowed the Alliance Defense Fund to file a brief as a friend of the court, a contrasting complement to the ACLU, which is filing as a friend of the court opposed to the law. Attorney Andy Norman will represent the Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona group.

The suit was originally filed by Buffalo Grove atheist Rob Sherman and his daughter, Dawn, a freshman at Buffalo Grove High School, who alleged that the law was unconstitutional.

Gettleman granted a temporary injunction prohibiting Northwest Suburban School District 214 from holding the moment of silence but declined to expand the ban statewide until more thorough arguments can be heard on the merits of the law.

Monday, the attorney for the Illinois attorney general's office, Thomas Ioppolo, told Gettleman that the state has decided not to appeal the temporary injunction.

Another hearing will be held March 5 at 10 a.m., at which time the judge may decide on whether the ban can be extended statewide.