34 South Main St., Attleboro, MA - Directions - (508) 222-7000
News
Free speech, religion and the classroom
 State Rep. Betty Poirier (Staff file photo by Mark Stockwell)
Top Headlines Poirier pushing bill to give students right to religious expression within public schools
BOSTON - Prayer and religion at public schools have been topics of debate for decades. Now Beacon Hill is taking up the issue, looking at legislation that would give students specific rights of religious expression.State Rep. Betty Poirier, R-North Attleboro, one of the bill's co-sponsors, said the legislation guarantees students' rights to free speech, treating religion "just like any other secular issue." Poirier said the legislation is important because the place of religion in public schools is often controversial. "This gives students the right to speak," she said. "There's no reason that you shouldn't have your constitutional rights to express yourself when you enter a school." State Rep. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, said the bill clarifies the rights of educators and students - explicitly allowing students to engage in prayer or a moment of silence in public ceremonies and extracurricular groups. "Now, schools are so concerned because of lawsuits that they don't allow anything," deMacedo, the bill's primary sponsor, told the Joint Committee on Education last week. He pointed to a case in 2002 in which a Westfield High School student was sued by a classmate's family when he attached a religious message to candy canes handed out at Christmas. A federal court eventually ruled in favor of the boy, but the bill's sponsors want to ensure other students don't end up in the courts. Attleboro High School Principal Jeffrey Newman said he hadn't seen the legislation, but he supports students' rights to express themselves at school. "We try to accommodate students," Newman said. "We do what we can to follow the law." He said it hasn't been a big issue for his school. "Students have expressed their religion publicly in the past, and it hasn't been a problem," Newman said. North Attleboro High School Principal Robert Gay agreed. "Our school doesn't have a written policy," he said. "We've never really needed one." Gay said students should be entitled to all their First Amendment rights, both in and outside of classroom. "I hate to see so many laws dictating what goes on in the schools," Gay said. "But those laws are brought about by a wrong occurring someplace." Sponsors hope that better defining students' rights and protecting schools from lawsuits will encourage administrators to give their students more latitude. "People should be free to express their opinion," Poirier said. "Schools shouldn't have to fear litigious action just for letting students speak." The bill has broad bipartisan support, and the committee is expected to send the bill to the House with a favorable recommendation.
View Comments » 54 comment(s)
« Hide Comments
|
Luiesmom wrote on Oct 22, 2009 11:41 AM:
sole wrote on Oct 22, 2009 10:39 AM:
I guess I'd be willing to accept it if it was a Religon Class that was an elective and they taught the history of ALL religons. Colleges do that. "
Just-ice23 wrote on Oct 19, 2009 5:07 PM:
gimmesum wrote on Oct 12, 2009 8:08 PM:
Public employees can use all the vacation time, sick time, personal time, family time etc. to accomadate their "religion".
One more thing while we are on the subject. We really need to take a second look at church and civic organizations. Should they be paying property taxes? "
snarky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 6:33 PM:
rabblerouser wrote on Oct 12, 2009 6:19 PM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 12, 2009 5:46 PM:
gimmesum -- I agree with you, probably for the first time. If Christmas loses it's religious meaning that let's call Dec 25 one more day and get the public employees to work it. "
gimmesum wrote on Oct 12, 2009 5:44 PM:
I am not religious. Yet I am not an atheist.
But everything you write is exactly the reason I believe Chistmas should be de-commercialized.
For people like you, it is a sideshow and it is meaningless.
Just another day!! Well, let's take it off the books as a federal holiday. "
sparky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 5:18 PM:
Liza5326 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 4:50 PM:
cassandra wrote on Oct 12, 2009 4:32 PM:
GetItRight wrote on Oct 12, 2009 4:21 PM:
jose21 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 4:08 PM:
bustah wrote on Oct 12, 2009 4:02 PM:
jose21 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 2:33 PM:
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 2:28 PM:
realist wrote on Oct 12, 2009 2:22 PM:
If I understand what I've read, even Creationists / Intelligent Design proponents don't dispute that there were dinosaurs. They dispute the timing.
All that being said this bill had nothing to do with teaching religion in schools it is about not being able to sue some kid for handing out a religious card or piece of literature. Pretty much guaranteeing the same right as someone passing out literature for a political candidate.
I have a question for the PC police, when and why did "Saint" get dropped from Valentines day? "
jose21 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 2:06 PM:
usafvet wrote on Oct 12, 2009 2:03 PM:
Bustah wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:59 PM:
snarky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:56 PM:
jose21 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:52 PM:
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:45 PM:
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:38 PM:
Bustah wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:32 PM:
usafvet wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:30 PM:
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:25 PM:
kevin h. wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:10 PM:
VladsBack!! wrote on Oct 12, 2009 1:06 PM:
skeptic wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:52 PM:
snarky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:47 PM:
And yes, I am refraining from commenting on Betty's appearance. However, I do like her use of brown tweed in this photo. It is nice for the season. It humanizes her a bit too! "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:45 PM:
skeptic wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:42 PM:
As far as teaching fact -- does that mean schools should not teach creative writing, the Theory of Relativity or Quantum String Theory? "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:29 PM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:23 PM:
Given the conversations I have everyday with younger people I would be happy if they were practicing education in the schools. I deal with high school graduates who do not know anything of history or civics. Some can not tell you the difference between state rep or congressional rep or tell you what the two major parties are.
Snarky -- please tell us what Poirier SHOULD be doing. And thanks for refraining from your usual criticism of her clothes, hair and make-up. "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:17 PM:
snarky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:12 PM:
j61396 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 12:05 PM:
skeptic wrote on Oct 12, 2009 11:48 AM:
Snarky -- yes you are right. Our local rep should not be trying to protect freedom of speech or religion. We should also do away with those other pesky amendments in the Bill of Rights. "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 11:39 AM:
harry hindsight wrote on Oct 12, 2009 11:35 AM:
snarky wrote on Oct 12, 2009 11:16 AM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 12, 2009 11:09 AM:
Which is the "mainstream religion" that you oppose? Catholicism, Baptists, Judaism, Islam? It all depends on your neighborhood as to which one is "mainstream".
Do you advocate not teaching about the declaration of Independence because God is mentioned? What about the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance?
What is the concern? That the golden rule might be taught?
I am not a religious person but I fear we have more to lose by banning free speech about religion than we have to gain. "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:58 AM:
j61396 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:56 AM:
hardhearted wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:49 AM:
Talking about being a satanist is protected. Performing a ritual rape and murder on school grounds is not. (Cambridge may be the exception)
Are there any other reductio ad absurdum based arguments? I'm sure but they have to be handled case by case. "
skeptic wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:41 AM:
kevin h. wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:40 AM:
1333 wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:30 AM:
realist wrote on Oct 12, 2009 10:09 AM:
When I attended public schools we put up Christmas decorations, not Holiday decorations. We sang Christmas songs. I remember going from Frosty the Snowman right into Silent Night. No one sued.
I agree that there are some people who annoyingly in my face about their views. Funny thing is that when it's a liberal spouting the mantra of Obama it's free speech. When it's a Christian asking if I've been saved (that's between God and me) it's wrong and they shouldn't be allowed to speak their views.
I also know a few Christians who are offended by the way "Oh my God" is just tossed about. But no one seems to care about their sensitivities. It's free speech. "
pat wrote on Oct 12, 2009 9:59 AM:
How about satanism? Don't tell me your going to pick and choose which religion
should be established and which should not. Where should athiests go to school? Do we need private schools where you can go to get away from people talking in toungs and stuff like that. And as far as free speech in school - How about sit down,close your mouth,open your ears and learn facts. "
wxman wrote on Oct 12, 2009 9:09 AM:
Attaboy, I think you're directing your anger at the wrong person here. I beleive the lawmakers are trying to remove the foolish lawsuits, not promoting any religion. A kid should have the right to hand a Christmas card to a friend at school without punishment. "
usafvet wrote on Oct 12, 2009 8:41 AM:
attaboy wrote on Oct 12, 2009 7:52 AM: