Religion in schools: Oregon house votes to overturn ban on religious dress for teachers. Today Oregon's House of Representatives voted 51-8 to allow public school teachers to wear head scarves, turbans and other religious dress beginning in the 2011-12 school year.
The original ban on religious dress dates back to 1923, when the Ku Klux Klan was powerful in Oregon and wanted to keep Roman Catholic nuns in habits out of the classroom. At the time Kaspar K. Kubli, an open supporter of the Ku Klux Klan, served as Oregon’s speaker of the House.
The vote is considered a victory for Muslim women and Sikhs who have been kept from teaching in Oregon by a strong religious faith that compels them to cover their heads. In recent years the ban has been used to keep Sikhs, who say they must wear turbans, from teaching in public schools.
Opposition comes from the American Civil Liberties Union and some lawmakers who argue that allowing religious dress amounts to proselytizing, or will lead to it. They have a valid point, and there is a slippery slope. It would be naive to insist that a peculiar dress with deep religious significance does not constitute a kind of religious speech.
The dilemma is real. On one hand freedom of dress and self expression are cherished American values. On the other hand public schools should be free of any form of religious proselytizing. Yet on balance the decision seems fair. In the end, we must trust children and parents to sort out and process conflicting and disparate religious symbols and signals.
Nevertheless, students, parents, faculty and administrators all must be vigilant. Students in public schools should never be subject to any form of proselytizing coming from teachers.
If approved by the Senate, and signed by Governor Kulongoski, Oregon would become the 48th state to allow teachers to wear religious dress in the classroom.
Comments
You are right, there should never be proselytizing - hopefully, most students will see the dress more in a cultural light than a religious one...
Agreed: proselytizing in public school is inappropriate. So is assuming that a person will speak on religion/faith simply because they wear a cross, a turban, or a chalice necklace. Seems like the original ban should have been on keeping KKK members out of office! Thanks for the update.
You boys don't know your history, and you've no stomach for freedom, unless you define freedom as allowing people to do only what you prescribe.
interviewwithgod.com/patriotic/highband.htm
you people are too tolerant of religious garb. public school teachers should not be wearing religious costumes while at school.
erickson's comments and ridiculous christian spam are pathetic
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