Bill Would Create 'Religious Viewpoints' Act

State Rep. Mike Reynolds plans to file legislation creating a Religious Viewpoints Anti-Discrimination Act that he says will create a level playing field for religious and secular expression in Oklahoma's public schools.

"Oklahoma families need to know their children will not be persecuted for exercising their constitutional rights and expressing religious beliefs at school," said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City.

"While students and guest speakers can't use state resources to proselytize, they have every right to express their personal beliefs and should be given the same protections afforded non-religious or even anti-religious officials."

The legislation, modeled after a Texas law, states, "A school district shall treat a student's voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, if any, on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner the district treats a student's voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint expressed by the student on an otherwise permissible subject."

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