Bill > S0237

This bill introduces the "Rights of Students Act" to protect students and parents from discrimination based on religious viewpoints or expressions in public educational institutions, which include school districts, charter schools, and state schools for special needs students. The bill ensures that students can pray, engage in religious activities, and wear religious clothing or accessories before, during, and after school, just as they would with non-religious activities and attire. Students' academic work cannot be penalized or rewarded based on religious content, and must instead be evaluated using standard academic criteria. The bill explicitly does not require participation in religious activities or violate constitutional rights, and allows schools to maintain discipline and safety through content-neutral policies. Before initiating legal action, students or parents must first file a written complaint with the school principal and then the superintendent, giving each party 15 and 25 days respectively to investigate and respond. If these administrative steps do not resolve the complaint, the student or parent may then pursue legal action. The bill includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the law is found invalid, the rest of the law remains in effect.

Education

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