Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law yesterday the bill repealing the state's religious attire ban for teachers. It sounds like they are taking care to make sure the change will be implemented the right way:
Some lawmakers in both parties opposed the bill on the grounds that schoolchildren might feel oppressed or proselytized by their teacher's religious headcovering or other similar attire.
Kulongoski forcefully disagreed. "Repeal is consistent with Oregon tradition that honors individual beliefs, values diversity, and promotes tolerance," he wrote in an official letter that accompanied his signature on the bill.
But he emphasized the importance of very clear statewide rules, to be written under the leadership of the Oregon Department of Education and the Bureau of Labor and Industry, to tell schools how to balance religious liberty for teachers with students' rights to a religious neutral schoolhouse.
The Baptist Joint Committee urged the legislature to take this action, and it's great to see it finally come to fruition! Follow the time line of events in this success story in the newest issue of the BJC's Report From the Capital.
