Colorado's Religious Bill of Rights: Religious Insurgents' Latest Assault on Schools
In Brief Wednesday, February 17th, 2010The state of Colorado recently dodged a constitutional bullet. Members of the state legislature proposed a bill establishing the “Religious Bill of Rights for Individuals Connected to Public Schools Act“.
The “Religious Bill of Rights” lays out a number of rights that are already included in the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, presented as though they were in some danger. As such, it was not needed, or at best was redundant. In addition, the bill repeatedly notes that the rights listed in the bill be posted, that teachers be notified, that students be notified, and that and that signed acknowledgments of being notified be kept on file virtually everybody who is notified. (There is a lot of notification going in on in that bill.)
However, trouble could have been caused by at least two of the clauses.
- (Teachers shall) NOT BE REQUIRED TO TEACH A TOPIC THAT VIOLATES HIS OR HER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND NOT BE DISCIPLINED FOR REFUSING TO TEACH THE TOPIC; and
- A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT (has the right) TO OPT OUT OF ANY CLASS OR THE USE OF SPECIFIC COURSE MATERIAL THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH HIS OR HER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
The first clause would allow a science teacher to not teach evolution, or even plate tectonics, if their religion believed in creationism or young earth. Such teachers could evade the duties of their jobs without penalty. The second clause would let students skip those same subjects, again without penalty.
Fortunately, the Committee on Judiciary acted wisely: “After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following: SB10-089 be postponed indefinitely.”
Dr. Phil Plait, who lives in the great state of Colorado and writes the Bad Astronomy Blog, has some very nice analysis of the bill and its defeat.
Related articles:
- Liam Fox: A Religious Assault on Democracy
- AU Lauds Court Decision Upholding Native American Student’s Religious Liberty Rights
- In Brief: Montana GOP Seeks to ‘Keep Homosexual Acts Illegal’, promote funding religious schools
- Kansas Democratic Party calls on Senator Brownback to denounce Lou Engle, supporter of Ugandan death-to-gays bill
- CFI Urges Senate Judiciary Committee to Question Kagan on Religious Liberty
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I would say this is a bill meant to show christians that they are being protected by their elected officials. I figure it was proposed so those that have been led to believe that their kids aren’t allowed to mention they are christians in school and that silent praying is illegal. I wonder how the christians that were pushing for this reacted to it being put on hold?
I have yet to see any reaction to it, but I’d bet the folks in Colorado will see this brought up many times during the next election. As pointed out by Dr. Plait, Democrats voted to postpone it indefinitely, while Republicans voted against that indefinite postponement.
If I were cynical on the political side, I’d say that the bill was purely a political ploy to be used as a wedge issue during the next election cycle. If it were only that simple… Although I believe that politics was a good part of this, I also firmly believe the zealots who submitted the bill sincerely (and erroneously) believe they are being persecuted.