Austin, USA - Texas students' religious viewpoints in class assignments would be treated the same as secular expression under legislation approved by the Senate and sent to the House.
Under the legislation, religious beliefs expressed in homework, artwork and other assignments would be judged by traditional academic standards. Students couldn't be penalized or rewarded because of the religious content of their work.
The measure had sparked vigorous debate in the House, where the bill was amended to say that the religious expression could not discriminate against someone else's race, age, sexual preference or religious belief.
Opponents of the amendment argued it would open school districts to wide interpretation of discrimination and would gut the bill.
Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said the state attorney general's office warned it would subject school districts to lawsuits and the Senate stripped out the nondiscrimination amendment before approving the bill Wednesday night.
The bill now goes back to the House for final approval before it goes to Gov. Rick Perry, who has publicly supported it.
Supporters say the bill is needed to protect schools from lawsuits and ensure students can express their religious beliefs. Williams said the bill writes into law protections already provided by U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
Critics, however, say it is an unconstitutional effort to encourage religion over non-religion in the state's public schools.
The bill also requires schools to establish a "limited public forum" at all school events during which students speak. Schools would have to develop a neutral method for selecting students to speak at school events and graduation ceremonies and provide a disclaimer, in writing or orally, that the student's speech was not endorsed by the school district.