Written by Don Byrd
The Indiana legislature sent a religion in schools bill to the Governor today for his signature. The Indianapolis Star tells you everything you need to know about it.
House Bill 1024, which has been sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb, allows public schools to teach survey courses on world religions, allows kids to pray in school and express their views on God in schoolwork. It allows students to wear clothing or jewelry with religious symbols if similar secular apparel is allowed. It allows religious student groups to use school facilities and provides that students may not be discriminated against based on their religion.
“Most of it are things that are already granted students in public schools,” said Tim McRoberts, associate director of the Indiana Association of School Principals. “The bill that remains just kind of codifies those rights that kids already have.”
So, the bill purports to expand religious liberty rights in public schools, but primarily it addresses rights students already enjoy under current law.
A similar bill was enacted in Kentucky earlier this year. Both houses of the Florida legislature have also passed a version of the same legislation, but differences between the House and Senate versions remain unresolved.
