A pair of bills designed to ensure that students have freedom to express religious views while in school passed a House committee yesterday despite concerns by Democrats that they accomplish little but could have unintended consequences. Current law already prohibits a school district from adopting a policy that promotes religion or prevents a student from expressing religious beliefs - though districts can limit that to noninstructional periods, such as lunch. Current law also allows a local district to provide for a moment of silence each school day for prayer or meditation.

A pair of bills designed to ensure that students have freedom to express religious views while in school passed a House committee yesterday despite concerns by Democrats that they accomplish little but could have unintended consequences.

Current law already prohibits a school district from adopting a policy that promotes religion or prevents a student from expressing religious beliefs � though districts can limit that to noninstructional periods, such as lunch. Current law also allows a local district to provide for a moment of silence each school day for prayer or meditation.

House Bill 303 would permit religious expression �before, during and after school hours in the same manner and to the same extent that a student is permitted to engage in secular activities or expression during corresponding times.�

Schools also would be required to allow students, without penalty, to utilize religion in their homework or other assignments.

House Bill 304, meanwhile, would require schools to give students who want to meet for the purpose of religious expression the same access to school facilities as secular student groups. The bills could see House action this week.

The bills are designed to ensure that school administrations are not discouraging faith-based activities during school hours, said Rep. Gerald Stebelton, R-Lancaster, chairman of the House Education Committee.

�It�s not a significant problem,� he said. �This is not a wholesale change in policy.�

The bills define �religious expression� as prayer, religious gatherings, distribution of religious writings, and wearing of symbolic clothing, provided it is not offensive or vulgar.

Democrats largely opposed the legislation.

�I�m not sure what the point of it is,� said Rep. Denise Driehaus, D-Cincinnati. �I�m not sure why we�re making it �religious expression� instead of just �expression.�?�

She�s concerned the bills could lead to other issues, such as attempts to bring creationism into science classes.

Michael Carney, a teacher at Hilliard Davidson High School, told the committee last month that he has witnessed limitations on student religious expression. He highlighted a 2008 cross-curricular assignment in which some students wanted to research abortion but were told it was too controversial and had roots in religion.

The school, he said, also declined to allow a student-created group called Faith to post hard-copy invitations to a pair of its events or make announcements using the terms God or Christ for an upcoming off-campus religious service for graduating seniors.

�Regardless of our assumptions or good intentions, we are failing to assure student individual expression and equal access to constitutional protections in at least one Ohio school,� Carney testified.

Doug Berger and Christina McDuffie, co-chairmen of the Secular Coalition for Ohio, wrote that federal courts and federal law already protect religious expression and extracurricular clubs.

When bills duplicate federal protections, they said, �It is almost always with the intent to give special privileges to a particular majority religious group.�

Others doubt the bills would have much impact. Tom Ash of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators said they largely codify the current practices of school districts.

Rep. Heather Bishoff, D-Blacklick, voted against House Bill 303, noting that schools are already expected to keep track of many things, including cyberbullying.

�We haven�t vetted this enough yet and what things this will bring to the forefront for schools to deal with,� she said. �There are a lot more religions than just Christianity.�

jsiegel@dispatch.com

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