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Senate Poised To Vote On ‘Religious Liberties’ Bill
March 22, 2017
The Florida Senate moved forward Tuesday with a bill that supporters say would strengthen protections for expressions of religious faith in public schools.
The “Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act” (SB 436) could come up for a vote as soon as Thursday after advancing through a routine procedural stage.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Baxley, would extend protection to religious activities and organizations and seek to prevent discrimination against students or school employees based on their faith. Unlike a House counterpart, the Senate version of the bill also would require school districts to approve a “limited public forum” policy for student speakers.
But some critics have questioned whether the bill would “open the door for domestic hate groups and other extremists that hide behind religious expression,” in the words of Sen. Victor Torres, D-Orlando. Baxley, R-Ocala, dismissed those concerns, saying it would instead give students a “moral compass” that could lessen tension.
“We spend an awful lot of time teaching students the ‘how,’ and there’s very little opportunity for them to capture the ‘why.’ … We protect all kinds of speech, and it shouldn’t be just that we protect filthy speech but that we actually protect inspirational and encouraging speech. So I think it will actually diminish hate, and people will find that they have much more in common,” he said. Some senators also suggested that the legislation might be unnecessary.
“What does this bill do that the First Amendment doesn’t currently do?” asked Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth. Baxley said the bill was needed to clear up any misunderstandings about the religious freedoms of students and employees.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
7 Responses to “Senate Poised To Vote On ‘Religious Liberties’ Bill”
I remember I was required to sale bullets to the guy that was hoing to rob me. If I didn’t he could sue me for discrimination.
So at liberty high school just outside of Austin TX. They open a prayer room for muslin students in 2009. In all fairness they say it is open to students of all ( faiths). Good for them. But! Where is the all mighty ACLU who say that their is the separation of church and state, and who have gone after any Christian followings ? You can search this any where on the net, yes it true! Is there a double standard here? Well it seems so! 1 amendment protects all speech! If you can not tolerate another persons opinion, you will not go far in life!
To some, encouraging and inspirational speech is “cutting off the infidels head, or the person that doesn’t believe in allah”. Make no doubt about it if you have a bunch of kids with many religious beliefs going to the SAME school you WILL have problems. Make all the laws you want. You still can’t mix oil and water.
This is another attempt by the republican lawmakers to sponsor their brand of religion above all others. This is not what the 1st amendment is about. If this comes to pass then students and teachers should be able to exercise their conscience and leave school grounds if they feel that the ideas being pushed are contrary to their beliefs.
“Domestic Hate Groups” ? Meaning what ? Conservative groups?
Groups who want to keep their way of life intact, those groups ?
It seems like before long, those who don’t agree with a specific ideology will be labeled terrorist cause they already label as racist, those who don’t want Muslim refugees. It’s a crazy world, just tell me what to believe.
What is wrong with people? I’m sure you’d be fine with a group of Muslims chanting and praying on your little snowflake’s school campus. Once you pass this, then any religion has the legal right to proselytize on any school property. This is what the mental geniuses at the Pensacola City Council have brought on themselves. Keep your religion to yourselves!
A lot needs to be learned, or relearned about the first amendment and freedom of religion. There are limitations to freedom of speech..Google that. And lefties do not have the right to shut out other ideas they do not agree with. Freedom of Religion not Freedom from it. So much of this has been twisted and misconstrued.