It looks like the State of Oregon is taking a move from the Southern United States Playbook and removing another foundation stone in the Wall of
Separation between Church and State.
Teachers may get OK to wear religious clothing in
class
Teachers are likely to win the right to wear religious clothing such as turbans, yarmulkes, crosses and headscarves in public schools when the Oregon
Legislature meets in February, elected officials say.
Oregon's prohibition on allowing teachers to exercise their faith by covering their heads or wearing other religious garb dates to a shameful
anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant period in state history and is overdue to be changed, House Speaker Dave Hunt, D-Gladstone, said Monday.
Hunt plans to introduce a bill to repeal the 1923 law and said he is optimistic it will pass, given the broad spectrum of Christians, Jews, Hindus,
Muslims and Sikhs who support the change.
The part that amazes me is that Oregon recently determined that it was unlawful for a Teacher to exercise their Conceal & Carry rights at School or
School functions, but would seek to rule that Religion is appropriate to bring to School?
I don't care what Religion a Public School Teacher professes. What they do in their private life is their own business. However, they have no right
bringing their personal Religious beliefs into a Public School.
Does a Teacher wearing a Cross, or a Yarmulke, or a Sari, or a Turban, or a Hijab to class promote their Religion? You bet it does!
If Oregon Public Schools ban students (and suspend and expel them) from wearing Religious oriented T-Shirts, Sweatshirts, and Jewelry, then it
shouldn't be acceptable for the Teachers either!
However, to pass this off as a matter of "Do not as I do, Do as I say" is trivializing the magnitude of this.
Although the easy way around the Separation between Church and State is to not promote any one Religion, but to allow equal access to all Religions,
that is the wrong way. Religion doesn't belong in Public Education and never has. That is a personal choice that belongs at home, at Church and
anywhere but School. Teachers shouldn't be allowed to advertise their Religious beliefs to their students, or use their position as a pulpit to
advocate their Religion over another.
The most insidious thing about this, however, is the propaganda used to convince people to enact it...
Tell the legislators that the State Law banning the wearing of Religious Garb was an antiquated "Hate" Bill from a "darker" time and that
soundbyte wins automatic unilateral support.
Notice how they conveniently overlook that overturning this law from 1923 will violate the United States Constitution.
