HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1963 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 369
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul K. Frost
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act protecting the religious freedom of students.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Paul K. Frost | 7th Worcester | 1/15/2015 |
James J. Dwyer | 30th Middlesex | 1/20/2015 |
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. | 20th Middlesex | 8/22/2019 |
Elizabeth A. Poirier | 14th Bristol | 8/22/2019 |
Keiko M. Orrall | 12th Bristol | 8/22/2019 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1963 FILED ON: 1/15/2015
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 369
By Mr. Frost of Auburn, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 369) of Paul K. Frost and others for legislation to protect the rights of students to express religious viewpoints. Education. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)
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An Act protecting the religious freedom of students.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Chapter 71 is hereby amended by inserting after Section 1B the following section:-
Section 1C. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, school districts beginning with the first school year after passage, shall adopt and implement a local policy that allows for a limited public forum and voluntary student expression of religious viewpoints at school events and graduation ceremonies, in class assignments, and in non-curricular school groups and activities. Districts shall treat such expression on an otherwise permissible subject in the same manner as the expression of a secular or other viewpoint and prohibits the district from discriminating against a student based on his or her expressed religious viewpoint. The policy must require the district to ensure that a student speaker does not engage in obscene or indecent speech and to provide a disclaimer that a student's speech is not endorsed or sponsored by the district.