Does a new mandatory moment of silence amount to prayer in school?

A controversial new Illinois law requires K-12 public school students to observe a moment of silence at the start of every school day. Supporters of the law argue that it gives students some much-needed serenity, whether they choose to reflect spiritually, to consider the day ahead, or simply to decompress. But others view this mandatory silence as a thinly veiled promotion of state-sanctioned prayer, which they feel has no place in public schools. Does this new law provide a peaceful start to the school day, or does it violate the separation of church and state? Tell us what you think.