Public schools need your advocacy!
A new bill is looking to bring religion to the forefront of public schools under the guise of “expanding” religious freedoms. This bill serves no purpose other than rubbing students’ noses into the bible, and it needs to be stopped. Please take action today, and fight for a secular education in Arkansas!
Senate Bill 223 seeks to be given to students on the first day of school to show that their public school will be infused with religion. This bill outlines existing “rights,” such as the right to pray, the right to form religious groups, or the right to express a religious viewpoint. To be clear, these rights have never been taken away from students; the only prohibited practice is allowing teachers and other staff to proselytize to students. Therefore, SB 223’s only real purpose is to empower religious staffers to preach to a captive audience. This will undoubtedly alienate students of minority religions, and those students who do not recognize any religion at all. This unnecessary and dangerous bill needs to be stopped!
SB223 passed out of the Senate and is headed for a House vote, so please act now before it can get any further! We have included talking points through the “Take Action” button that you can edit to your liking. For best results, please be succinct and polite. For extra impact, you will be directed to a phone script to call legislators after you email them. Please take the extra minute to call them if you can!
(Note: You must live in Arkansas in order to take part in this action alert.)