West Virginia Amendment 3, Prayer or Private Contemplation in Public Schools Measure (1984)

West Virginia Amendment 3
Election date November 6, 1984
Topic Religion in public schools
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

West Virginia Amendment 3 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in West Virginia on November 6, 1984. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported requiring public schools to set aside a period at the start of each school day for students who wish to engage in personal and private contemplation, meditation, or prayer.

A "no" vote opposed requiring public schools to set aside a period at the start of each school day for students who wish to engage in personal and private contemplation, meditation, or prayer.

Election results

West Virginia Amendment 3
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		511,057	77.80%
No		145,835	22.20%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 3 was as follows:

“

AMENDMENT NUMBER 3 VOLUNTARY CONTEMPLATION, MEDITATION OR PRAYER IN SCHOOL AMENDMENT SUMMARY: “To require public schools to set aside a time for students who wish to use their voluntary contemplation, meditation or prayer rights.”

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article III, West Virginia Constitution

The ballot measure added a Section 15a to Article III of the West Virginia Constitution. The following underlined text was added:

15a. Public schools shall provide a designated brief time at the beginning of each school day for any student desiring to exercise their right to personal and private contemplation, meditation or prayer. No student of a public school may be denied the right to personal and private contemplation, meditation or prayer nor shall any student be required or encouraged to engage in any given contemplation, meditation or prayer as a part of the school curriculum.

Background

From 1926 to 2024, voters decided on at least nine ballot measures related to religion in public schools in nine states: California (1926), North Dakota (1948), Maryland (1970), Florida (1972), Massachusetts (1972), Wisconsin (1972), West Virginia (1984), Missouri (2012), and Alabama (2018).

The following map illustrates where voters have decided on ballot measures related to religion in public schools:

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the West Virginia Constitution

A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the West Virginia State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 67 votes in the West Virginia House of Representatives and 23 votes in the West Virginia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1984 Measures

• 1984 Measures
• Religion in public schools on the ballot
• 1984 legislative sessions

West Virginia

• West Virginia ballot measures
• West Virginia ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls