The Ohio Senate has unanimously passed legislation that aims to require local boards of education to draft “non-exhaustive” lists of religious holidays and excuse students for up to three days each academic year.
Senate Bill (SB) 49 known as the “Religious Expression Days” (R.E.D.) Act sponsored by State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) would require schools to accommodate “any missed assignments including tests” and teachers would have to accept these absences “without question” while maintaining “alternative accommodation requests confidential.”
The legislation protects students from penalization from observing these religious holidays and requires schools to treat them as legitimate absences.
According to Reynolds, the fact that this legislation guaranteeing First Amendment rights passed in the Senate unanimously thrills her.
“I am thrilled to announce that the R.E.D. Bill has unanimously passed the Ohio Senate! The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and religious expression, and no student should be penalized or have grades suffer due to practicing their faith,” Reynolds said.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and freedom of religious expression. The free exercise clause established in the first amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from infringing on an individual’s religious practice.
According to Reynolds “requiring a religious expression day policy in our K-12 public school districts will ensure this core principle of our democracy is upheld.”
Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) echoed Reynolds in agreeing that no student deserves penalization for observing a religious commitment.
“Students should not have to choose between practicing their faith and performing well academically. They should not have to worry that they will be penalized by the state for committing to their religious and spiritual formation. For the state to remain neutral on religion does not mean non-religious students should have an advantage over religious students, but that all students—regardless of their background and beliefs—should be reasonably accommodated. SB49 would allow students who choose to take a religious expression day to make up any missed work at a later date so no student feels his religious observance is in conflict with his ability to obtain a good education,” Nilani Jawahar, CCV Legislative Liaison said.
SB 49 is similar to a law that went into effect for Ohio colleges on April 3rd.
HB 353 which Governor Mike DeWine signed into law in the 134th General Assembly provided similar accommodations for students at higher education institutions. HB 353 permits a student to be absent for up to three days each academic semester for religious or spiritual reasons. Specifically, HB 353 permits students to participate in organized activities conducted under the supervision of a religious entity such as a church, temple, mosque, or other religious spiritual organization.
Christian, Jewish and Muslim organizations supported this law.
SB 49 now moves to the Ohio House for their review.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Michele Reynolds” by Michele Reynolds. Background Photo “Ohio State Capitol Building” by Steven Miller. CC BY 2.0.
