While I wouldn't go so far as you on your conclusion, this this doesn't pass my smell test, either. It's clear to me the goal of this bill isn't to inform students of what goes on in the Congress regarding prayer - it does smack of religious indoctrination when you're requiring them to get a daily dose of it.

I read nothing that said the students were required to recite anything.

What the articles say:
"a bill requiring teachers and students at all of the state's public schools to spend 15 minutes every morning in Christian prayer"
"a bill that would require public school teachers to open class with a prayer each morning"

Wow - that's rather sensational. But then, what the articles say upon further reading is the bill would: "require teachers to spend no more than 15 minutes in the first class of each day to read, verbatim, opening prayers said before a meeting of the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate."

Hmm..does that sound like the bill is requiring students or teachers to pray to you? To me, it sounds like it requires teachers teach their students that prayers are in fact said in the national Congress, and what the content of those prayers were. There is a big difference, and I think even if you're an atheist you might want your kids to know that this is the state of affairs in this country. Do they need to learn about it every single time a prayer is uttered in Congress? Uh...no.

Does this leave room for teacher monkey business should this bill be passed? Yep - no doubt. But I don't really think that's what objectors really fear here. I'm guessing they would rather the kids not know that prayers are performed in the national Congress at all. In their minds, it lends an air of legitimacy to prayer, and that simply won't do. If they could pass a law requiring Congress not do the prayers at all, that would be even more satisfactory outcome, in their book.