Teachers may get OK to wear religious clothing in class

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.

I don't think that wearing something for your religion is going to promote it to kids. I don't think so at all. Never when I was in school, before I was Christian, did I ever feel influenced to become a Christian because my teacher was wearing a cross or had an angel statuette on their desk or anything like that. No one that I went to school with follows any particular religion because of stuff the teachers wore.

By denying teachers the ability to wear something that their faith requires, it would seem that one would be denying them a right that is guaranteed them in the Constitution.

Amendment one:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;...

Notice how they conveniently overlook that overturning this law from 1923 will violate the United States Constitution.

How does overturning this law violate the Constitution? I'm not seeing it.

[edit on 11/24/2009 by octotom]

...just don't dress up like a nun...

Separation between Church and State is a joke, only if it benefits the ones who wine the most.

Think about it, ever been to a court room? Place your hand where?
Its all some crap, so now they can wear religious items in the class room, but the kids cant silently pray. Hmmmm where is the balance.

I remember growing up, every morning in school,we would say the pledge as well as a short prayer, didn't hurt me a bit.

Are you saying turbans and saris are in themselves religious clothing? Both these items specifically are worn by several different cultures.

The court has ruled that the seperation clause pertains to the State promoting ONE religion over another. Allowing someone to wear a cross or star does not violate that clause. However allowing say a cross but not a star of david would violate the intent of the seperation clause.

reply to post by fraterormus

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?

Are you seriously comparing wearing a little bitty cross around the neck is the same as bringing a GUN TO SCHOOL.

The way you talk, you would thing the teachers will be forcing their religion upon the kids at gunpoint.

The truth is, religion is already taught in the public schools. It's called SECULARISM, it is the worshop of the almighty state as the protector and provider of us all.

Seperation of church & state is BS, it is not in the Constitution, it is a statement taken out-of-context from the writings of Thomas Jefferson. The Constitution protects religious freedom, it does not restrict it from the public or political sphere.

Suppression of a person's religiuos identity is the worst offence against freedom of speech I can possibly think of. This law should have been tossed out years ago.

[edit on 24-11-2009 by FortAnthem]

I don't have a problem with removing this ban at all. In fact, I didn't even realize OR had this law on the books. I find it disagreeable that it is 1 of 3 states left with a law like this, total discrimination. The article states this:

Few Oregonians were aware the state had such a ban -- one of only three in the nation -- until the Legislature passed a law earlier this year allowing all workers except teachers to wear religious dress at work in most instances.

How hypocritical is that?

If 47 other states are finding that teachers are not influencing their students by their dress, than it is safe to say that it won't happen here, either. Further, it's ridiculous to assume that it would be the case anyway. We are all exposed to various dress, religious or otherwise, on a daily basis... Go to any college campus or any of the larger cities in the state and you will see almost the entire spectrum of religion, lifestyle and dress. Frankly, seeing a woman in a hijab does not influence me to wear one, nor does it influence any students I know (whether they are in kindergarten or high school or university) unless that is already customary. Repealing this law is long overdue.



[edit on 24-11-2009 by LadySkadi]