Religious Rights of Students
The following activities are legally permissible for Christian students in public schools:
* Private prayer—Students are free to personally express themselves in prayer.
* Bible reading—Students may read the Bible or other devotional material during free-reading times or study halls.
* Symbols—Students may use notebooks, pencils, and other material with religious logos or sayings, including Bible verses.
* Apparel—Christian messages on clothing or jewelry may be worn unless there is a uniform requirement that applies equally to everyone.
* Assignments—Students may present speeches, write book reports and research papers, prepare show-and-tell displays, or do artwork using religious themes, provided such assignments follow the teacher’s instructions.
* Open discussion—Religious viewpoints may be shared as part of class discussions when appropriate to the topic.
* Performances—Students may sing religious music in a general concert program; such music is not devotional in a concert setting but has historical and cultural value.
* Group devotions—Students may gather on their own time for devotions before or after school.
* Tracts & other literature—Students may distribute Christian literature to fellow students or teachers on school grounds outside of class hours.
* Bible clubs—Voluntary, student-initiated Bible clubs may meet on public secondary school premises during non-instructional time if other non-curriculum related student groups are also permitted to meet.
* Graduation—Students may speak of God and may offer a prayer in a nonsectarian and non-proselytizing way in a student address at graduation.
Abridged from the article, “Defending Christian Freedom in America’s Public Schools,” by Dr. David C. Gibbs, Jr. and Dr. David Gibbs III. Used by permission from the Christian Law Association (CLA), a legal missionary ministry at
www.christianlaw.org.
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