Florida's House of Representatives has passed a bill that aims to preserve the public school students religious expression, marking a victory to the pastor who introduced the measure.
Rep. Kimberly Daniels (D-Jacksonville) introduced the House Bill 303, which would protect the students, parents, and also the school officials when they express their religious beliefs within the confines of public schools. The measure also allows the students to lead prayers and lets school personnel to take part in such activities, the Christian Broadcasting Network details. Under the HB 303, the school districts will be prohibited from discriminating against the students, parents, and also the school employees based on their religious beliefs and the way they express them.
According to the supporters of HB 303, the measure is a response to the increasing restriction on free speech rights in the public schools. The Associated Press notes that some schools prohibit its students from wearing the religious accessories.
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Meanwhile, the Liberty High School in Frisco has been using a classroom as a prayer room to accommodate the students and religion. This trend is now being observed in the public schools across Texas, the Houston Public Media notes.
In the last month, Texas' attorney general Tim Boyer sent a letter voicing out the concerns over Liberty High's prayer room.
For the Frisco superintendent, the letter is just a "publicity stunt" and also pointed out that they have been using the prayer room from several years now with no one expressing opposition against it. The school district also said that it did not violate any state or federal laws and that the facility can be used by the students from all kinds of religious backgrounds.
Aside from establishing the prayer rooms for students, public schools in the Frisco also allow students to wear head covering. Other schools accommodate the students dietary restrictions related to their faith.
Mrudula Duddempudi.
