Clinton Outlines Permitted School Religious Expression

President Clinton announced this week that he has ordered federal officials to distribute guidelines to the nation’s estimated 15,000 public school districts describing what religious activities are allowed on their campuses.

Clinton made the announcement at a Virginia high school Wednesday in an effort to blunt a Republican attempt to amend the U.S. Constitution to permit prayer in public schools.

In the announcement, Clinton said schoolchildren should not be compelled to participate in religious activities, but added that some districts have gone too far in banning religious expression at their schools.

Here are the main points of his directive: * Students have the right to pray individually and in groups during the school day. However, students do not have “the right to have a captive audience listen, or to compel other students to participate.”

* Students may read the Bible or other Scriptures, say grace before meals and pray during the school day.

* Students may discuss religious topics with their peers, but school officials should intercede if student speech is considered harassment.

* School officials cannot authorize organized prayer at graduation ceremonies or organize religious baccalaureate ceremonies.

* Teachers and school administrators cannot solicit, encourage or discourage religious activity while in their roles as government employees.

* Students may express their religious beliefs in homework, artwork and other assignments when the expression relates to a school assignment.

* Students have the right to distribute religious literature when other literature unrelated to school activities is also permitted.

* Students may wear religious messages on their clothing if they are allowed to wear comparable non-religious messages.

* Student religious groups have the same access to school facilities as other student groups.