Lawmaker Pushes To Protect Students’ Religious Freedom

Freedom of religion is already covered in the U-S constitution, but the bill’s sponsor says that schools need clear guidelines to protect that right. 

 

The Alabama Student Religious Liberties Act makes it clear that students can express their religion safely on school property. 

 

Representative Mack Butler of Rainbow City used to work on the Etowah County school board. He says that’s where the idea for this bill started. 

 

“As a school board member we saw from school to school to administrator to administrator,  district to district, people backing up and trying to steer clear because no one really knew what was legal and they always erred by violating the students religious liberties,” said Rep. Butler.

 

But opponents, like Sally Howell with the Alabama Association of School boards, say that there’s no need for this legislation. 

 

“Right now religious liberties are protected by the US constitution and a state law or local school board policy can neither restrict or expand those rights. So this proposal is totally unnecessary. Those rights are already enjoyed by our students,” said Howell.

 

Representative Butler says that he’s worried that even with those rights in place, Christianity is being targeted in schools. He wants students to have the opportunity to learn from religious texts.

 

“We know it’s 100% legal to use the Bible as a history book or a literature book. The school still maintains complete control on anything that disrupts the educational process. That’s very clear in the bill. But this will, as a former school board member, this is needed greatly.”

 

Today was just the start for the bill. It still has to be passed in committee before making it to either house.