The North Carolina House of Representatives has passed a bill that would protect the rights of students to express their religion along with allowing teachers and staff to voluntarily participate in student-led religious activities at schools.

The bill, SB370, was presented to the House after an elementary school student was banned from reading a self-written poem about her grandfather.  The grandfather was a World War II veteran who often cited his prayers for protection as part of his stories of service.  The school said the student could not mention God.

The bill states that students may “[e]xpress religious viewpoints in a public school to the same extent and under the same circumstances as a student is permitted to express viewpoints on nonreligious topics or subjects in the school.”

The bill also prohibits any teacher from issuing a bad grade to a student because they may not like a student’s religious beliefs.  In addition, the bill includes protections for teachers and staff to be a part of student-led activities in schools that include religious worship.

“Local boards of education may not prohibit school personnel from participating in religious activities on school grounds that are initiated by students at reasonable times before or after the instructional day so long as such activities are voluntary for all parties and do not conflict with the responsibilities or assignments of such personnel,” the bill states.

The ACLU has taken issue with the bill.

The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate.