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Partners
American Family
Association
One easy way to become informed about issues affecting our freedom is through
the American Family Association A nonprofit organization founded in 1977 by Don
Wildmon, the AFA represents and stand for traditional family values, focusing
primarily on the influence of television and other media – including pornography
– on our society.
One valuable service the AFA offers is their “Legislative Alerts”. They inform
Americans of issues before the legislature affecting our freedoms. Simply
clicking on these alerts will give you a synopsis about the issue, a chance to
view the entire bill before the legislature, and an opportunity to easily email
your senator or congressman about the piece of legislature.
For example, the AFA supports legislation such as the The Religious Viewpoint
Anti-Discrimination Act. The need for this law became clear after stories
circulated about censorship of school children in Texas. A few examples of the
kinds of unconstitutional censorship of school children in Texas that was taking
place include: Reprimands for talking about Jesus during Easter; a ban on
children wishing deployed troops a "Merry Christmas;" children forbidden from
using religious messages on gifts or cards including references to St.
Valentine's Day; children forbidden from bringing Christmas items to a school's
"Winter Party" despite the acknowledgment of other faiths during the season;
children threatened by Superintendent that if they prayed they would be
"disciplined the same as if they had cursed;" teacher trashing two Bibles
belonging to students, taking the students to the principal's office and
threatening to call Child Protective Services on the parents for letting their
children bring Bibles to school.
This act guarantees certain freedoms to students in Texas, including the
following:
“Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and
other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the
religious content of their submissions. Students shall neither be penalized nor
rewarded on account of religious content. Such home and classroom work shall be
judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against
other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school.
Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, "see you at the pole" and
other religious gatherings before, during, and after school to the same extent
that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities
and groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for
assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination
because of the religious content of their expression. Where student groups that
meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their
meetings, school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet for
prayer or other religious speech.
School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events,
provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor
disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech. The
Religious Viewpoint Anti-Discrimination Act makes clear that unconstitutional
censorship of students' individual religious expression will not be allowed in
Texas public schools. The bill also offers clarity for teachers and
administrators who have been confused about what religious expression is
permitted in schools.
The AFA is now working to get other states to pass similar bills. For you to
help with this, simply go to www.afa.net. Go to the box called “capital hill
alert” and click on “help protect student’s liberties.”
Enter your zip code and click "GO" to send an e-mail to your state senator and
representative in support of model legislation for your state like the Religious
Viewpoint Anti-Discrimination Act in Texas.
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