Mississippi governor signs bill giving religion "limited public forum" in public schools

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Last edited Sun Mar 17, 2013, 12:48 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.goddiscussion.com/108018/mississippi-governor-signs-bill-giving-religion-limited-public-forum-in-public-schools/

BY DAKOTA O'LEARY
ON MARCH 17, 2013 AT 12:00 AM



Mississippi Republican governor Phil Bryant signed Senate Bill 2633 "Mississippi Student Religious Liberties Act of 2013" into law Thursday, giving what is termed a "limited public forum" to religion in public schools in the state. The bill states "A public school district shall not discriminate against students or parents on the basis of a religious viewpoint or religious expression. A school district shall treat a student's voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student's voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject." The bill also gives students the freedom to express their religious views in homework, art classes, and other written and oral assignments "free from discrimination," and students may also organize religious groups and activities before, during and after school. As may be guessed, legal experts believe that this bill will be challenged as unconstitutional. The Press Herald adds:

Bear Atwood, legal director for ACLU of Mississippi, did not attend the bill signing ceremony but told The Associated Press in a phone interview that she thinks the law "has serious constitutional issues." She said the ACLU will wait to see if there's proselytizing in public schools before deciding whether to file a lawsuit.

"At the end of the day, do I think there will be a legal challenge?" Atwood said. "Yes, which is unfortunate because it is not the governor or the Legislature that will get sued but the individual school district and that's not a very good way for them to spend their limited education dollars — especially given that this is a pretty well-settled area of law."

Bryant, who often talks about cutting government spending, said: "If we've got to spend taxpayers' money, I think we would be honored to spend it in defending religious freedoms for the people of the state of Mississippi."

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