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Posted on 10/30/2023 2:08:53 PM PDT by lightman
Public school teachers may soon be allowed to wear jewelry or clothing bearing a religious emblem or symbol while on the job.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Monday voted 201-1 to approve a Senate-passed bill that repeals a section of the state’s school code that penalized a teacher for such religious displays and held the school board liable if they failed to enforce that mandate from 1949.
The bill now goes to Gov. Josh Shapiro for enactment. The governor is expected to sign it once it reaches his desk, said his spokesman Manuel Bonder. Once enacted, the law take effect in 60 days.
The legislation, sponsored by Sens. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York County, and Judy Schwank, D-Berks County, grows out of the ruling on a 2003 lawsuit filed by an instructional aide at the Arin Intermediate Unit who refused to comply with her supervisor’s demand for her to remove or conceal a cross she wore on a necklace
A federal district court judge decided that the ban on religious symbols violated the U.S. Constitution’s freedoms of speech and religious expression.
At the time, Nebraska and Pennsylvania were the only two states that had such laws. Nebraska repealed its religious garb ban in 2017, leaving Pennsylvania as the last remaining state to consider this inappropriate attire for teachers.
In a 2011 article appearing in the Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies, its author Caitlin S. Kerr writes about Pennsylvania and Nebraska’s bans at that time, “By specifically targeting religious garb, these states signal hostility toward religion and preference for secular themes. The continuation of such policies will adversely affect students’ ability to navigate through a globalized society in their adult lives.”
About the House’s passage of the bill, Phillips-Hill said, “William Penn built our commonwealth on religious freedom and tolerance. It is about time Pennsylvania crossed this archaic law out of its books. I look forward to the governor’s signature on this bill to ensure our Commonwealth upholds Penn’s founding principle that protects people of all faiths by upholding our First Amendment rights in the classroom.”
Schwank echoed the sentiment about how restricting an individual’s right to express their faith is incompatible with the commonwealth’s founding principles.
“With the House’s approval of Senate Bill 84, I’m proud to say we’ve rectified a longstanding error in Pennsylvania law, now permitting teachers to wear religious garb in the classroom,” Schwank said. “This move brings Pennsylvania in line with the rest of the nation, ending our status as the only state still upholding this kind of prohibition.”
The bill passed the Senate by a 49-0 vote in January.
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Just in time for a Muslim resurgence. What a mere coincidence.
Well, As long as some Muslim doesn’t gash his head during Ashura …
Before anyone might disagree with me, consider this. A Muslim teacher teaches an American class while wearing a hijab.
Student: What are you wearing?
Teacher: It’s called a hijab. We wear it as a sign of modesty. Islam values modesty, obedience, and self-respect.
Student: That makes sense.
It is insane to give such people this opening.
No thank you!
What? Are muslims complaining?
More kneeling for Islam.
They have kept the ban strong for many years.
But now that our stupid federal government has let millions of muslims infiltrate America the authorities are afraid to refuse any demand the islamists make.
Which religions? Climate hysteria, Pride, LGBTQ+, BLM, Islamic Cult, Wicam?
The law was passed during one of the high water marks of anti-Catholic bigotry.
Makes it easier to pick out the Jews!
This one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharya_Vidyasagar
Nudist monks of India. Imagine having to take this guy’s class.
> The law was passed during one of the high water marks of anti-Catholic bigotry. <
As Christian, I am absolutely okay with banning of showing a crucifix by a public school teacher. Jewish parents would not want their children to be exposed to that. And they would be right.
As an interesting side note, I am a retired public school teacher. And I wore a crucifix every day under my shirt. But perhaps someone doesn’t want to do that. Perhaps they want to wear a crucifix more openly. Well, okay. But then don’t be a public school teacher.
Same goes for a Star of David, a hijab, a political pin, whatever.
In the war between Christianity and secularism, secularism wins every time.
Here they wear it voluntarily. In the Middle East, they are forced to wear it. If I had to do it all over again, I would home school my kids.
“No thank you!”
I’m with you. No reason to brag about one’s support for Hamas.
This suit symbolizes the worship of grabbing government money. Idolatry.
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