Virginia House Sends Student Religious Exercise Bill to Governor

Written by Don Byrd
The Virginia House of Delegates yesterday passed a bill requiring school districts to grant broad religious free exercise rights for students. Many of these rights – like those allowing students to voluntarily pray on school grounds – are already protected by the First Amendment. Other provisions of the bill – like those allowing students to pray at the microphone when speaking at school sponsored events – may run afoul of the First Amendment’s religious liberty guarantees.