Lawmakers in the Michigan Senate

A proposal introduced in the Michigan Senate on Tuesday would create additional protections for religious viewpoints being expressed by public school students.

(File photo)

LANSING -- A Michigan Senate bill would prohibit discrimination against students of public schools and universities who express religious viewpoints and would permit schools to establish "limited public forums" at school events when students could pray.

Under the proposed language, instructors would not be permitted to grade a student's work differently based on religious content, and schools could not prevent students from participating in religious activities on campus before or after classes. Schools also would not be able to limit access to facilities to religious organizations if the facilities are made available to the general public.

Students would also be guaranteed the right to wear clothing or jewelry with religious messages if similar items with non-religious messages are permitted under school policy.

Federal law already guarantees the same protections to students under both acts of Congress, Supreme Court decisions and the First Amendment, and the Michigan Constitution also includes protections for religious expression.

The bill also includes a "model policy governing voluntary religious expression in public schools and state public universities" that sets forth guidelines for how districts can allow students to speak at events like football games and graduations and express religious viewpoints.

The language in Jansen's proposal is virtually identical to a "Student Religious Liberty Act" adopted by Mississippi lawmakers earlier this year and championed by the American Family Association, a conservative interest group.

Bills with similar language were also introduced in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Alabama earlier this year, and Texas lawmakers adopted a similar law in 2007 that the American Family Association has based their proposals on.

"The Student Religious Liberties Act empowers students to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed religious liberty and disentangles school administrators from policing religion," an American Family Association fact sheet issued in April states.

Senate Bill 716, introduced Tuesday by Sen. Mark Jansen (R-Gaines Township), was referred to the Senate Education Committee, where one of the bill's co-sponsors, Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton), is a member. Sen. Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit), the Democratic floor leader in the state Senate, is also a co-sponsor.

Brian Smith is the statewide education and courts reporter for MLive. Email him at bsmith11@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.