TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A new bill filed this week would provide students in Florida public schools with more rights — and it aims to change the state constitution to make that happen.
That amendment — HJR 583 — was filed on Tuesday morning by Florida Rep. Chase Tramont (R-Port Orange), adding it to the long list of proposals to be considered during next year’s Legislative session.
The amendment would establish a constitutional right to religious expression in public schools, prohibiting discrimination based on religious viewpoints for students, parents and staff.
This means that students may choose to display religious messaging on their clothing, use religious content in their coursework (when applicable), and arrange religious extracurricular groups in the same vein as secular alternatives.
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These prohibitions are already present under existing law, though Tramont’s proposed amendment would solidify these protections within the state’s constitution.
However, the amendment would also expand on these liberties, including the following changes:
- Schools must require teachers in first-year period classrooms to set aside between one and two minutes daily for a “moment of silence.”
- High schools participating in championship contests must be given the opportunity to make “brief opening remarks” over the PA system. These remarks may include student-led prayer lasting up to two minutes.
Tramont’s proposal comes shortly after a University of Oklahoma student made headlines for receiving a 0 on an assignment about gender norms, in which she included references to her own Biblical beliefs, according to Fox News.
But even if HJR 583 gets approved by lawmakers, it will still need 60% of the vote during the next general election to officially become law.
Below is the ballot language that voters could expect to see:
“Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to provide protections from discrimination for student and school personnel religious expression in public schools, including the expression of religious beliefs in a student’s school work or attire, prayer, activities and religious expressions, moments of silence, and opening remarks at high school championship contest or series of contests.”
Proposed amendment to Article X of the Florida constitution (HJR 583)