Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act

House Bill 1001 introduced on 02/07/2011 is called “Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act”.  This bill states in part;

A school district shall treat the voluntary expression by a student of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats the voluntary expression by a student of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint, if any, expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject

The policy regarding the limited public forum shall also require the school district to:

1.  Provide the forum in a manner that does not discriminate against the voluntary expression by a student of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject;

2.  Provide a method, based on neutral criteria, for the selection of student speakers at school events and graduation ceremonies;

          3.  Ensure that a student speaker does not engage in obscene, vulgar, offensively lewd, or indecent speech or speech promoting illegal drug use;

  Before you say this is in violation of the separation of church and state keep in mind the U.S. Constitution states in the 1^st Amendment that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” This is keeping in line with a free exercise of one’s religious beliefs.  Section I – 2 of the Oklahoma constitution states  “Perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of the State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship; and no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.“

Teh bill is locates here http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2011-12HB/HB1001_int.rtf