Nebraska encouraged to repeal ban on religious garb in classrooms

[rug]

Sister Madeleine Miller

ZACH PLUHACEK
Lincoln Journal Star
Updated 14 hrs ago

A century-old ban on public school teachers wearing religious garb in the classroom is "blatantly unconstitutional" and should be stricken from Nebraska's lawbooks, various groups say.

The ban dates to 1919 and was originally backed by the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist, anti-Catholic groups.

Similar statutes have been repealed in 34 other states. Only Nebraska and Pennsylvania still have bans on the books, and both states are considering measures to eliminate them.

This state's law makes any violation a criminal misdemeanor offense, and says teachers who violate the law must be suspended for one year the first time, and disqualified from teaching for life the second time.

http://journalstar.com/legislature/nebraska-encouraged-to-repeal-ban-on-religious-garb-in-classrooms/article_31597197-a187-5596-bde3-e0994f9ac6bf.html

[dhol82]

1. I'll be waiting for the first teacher to walk into the classroom with a hijab

[rug]

2. They've been around a long time.

Nour Elmohd is a Muslim teacher in Tampa who wears a hijab in the classroom. Policies on religion in the classroom are murky.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/few-hard-and-fast-rules-when-it-comes-to-religious-symbols-and-schools/1120386

School policies may be murky but the law is clear.

[dhol82]

4. In Nebraska?

[rug]

5. No. Hence the lawsuit.

The statute also includes yarmulkes.

[dhol82]

6. That was my point.

[guillaumeb]

3. Originally backed by the KKK?

Not surprising.