INDIANAPOLIS -- In an effort to keep schools from (accidentally or not) sponsoring certain religions, the school corporations would have to make disclaimers at graduation ceremonies, if a new Indiana bill becomes law.
The bill, authored by Rep. John Bartlett (D-Indianapolis), would attempt to ensure schools don't sponsor a certain religion or religious activity in general.
One requirement would have schools adopt a policy on student speakers at school events. A disclaimer would have to be read or available in print at graduation ceremonies, saying that the speaker's words are not an "endorsement, sponsorship, position, or expression of the public school."
The policy would also have to be displayed on the school's website and be provided for "as long as a need exists" to make sure people know the school doesn't endorse a religious belief.
Under the bill, schools would also have to make accommodations for people who want to be excused from speeches. Those accommodations could include making sure that religious speeches are at the beginning or end of an event.
Religion in graduations has been a controversial topic in the United States for many years. Indiana had its own controversy in 2010 when Greenwood High School was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana over school prayer.
The graduating class voted on whether or not to include a prayer at graduation. Most students voted yes, but valedictorian Eric Workman said the prayer violated the U.S. Constitution.
"I'm a Christian, but I also believe the law is the law," he said at the time.
Workman and the ACLU sued the school and won. Greenwood's school was forced to pay the ACLU $14,500 for legal fees.
FROM 2010 | Student Who Brought Prayer Suit Doesn't Regret Controversy
Some of the other items regarding public schools in Bartlett's bill are:
- Schools must offer an elective on religions of the world, teaching the history and culture of those religions. The curriculum has to be balanced and couldn't promote acceptance of any religion.
- A school can't discriminate against a student on the basis of religious expression
- The school must treat a student's religious opinion the same as a secular opinion, given the subject is permissible
- Students can express their religious beliefs in homework, artwork, and assignments free from discrimination. That work must be judged on the academic standards of the class, not the religious viewpoint.
- School students can pray before, during and after school to the same extent that nonreligious express themselves
- Students can organize prayer groups or religious clubs to the same extent that students are allowed to organize nonreligious groups. The school may indicate the group doesn't reflect the viewpoint of the school.
- Those religious groups must be given the same access to school facilities as the nonreligious groups. If a nonreligious group is allowed to advertise or make announcements for their group, a religious one can do the same.
