Kentucky governor signs bill to safeguard Christian students’ religious liberty

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin has signed into law a bill known as the “Charlie Brown law” which safeguards the freedom of religious expression of Christian students in public schools.

Senate Bill 17, which protects a public school student’s freedom to express religious viewpoints and wear religious clothing without fear of discrimination, was filed after a Kentucky elementary school omitted the name of Jesus from Linus’ monologue in a “Charlie Brown Christmas” due to issues concerning freedom from religion. Remarkably, the parents sitting on the bleachers quoted the omitted line from the Gospel of Luke while the play was going on, Church Militant details.

Reports say SB 17 passed Kentucky’s Senate and House easily, with only three state senators and eight house members who opposed it. Although it has clinched bipartisan house support, LGBTQ advocates are convinced that the bill will only give students the license to discriminate against members of the gay community, the Associate Press reports.

“No student should fear being excluded from a school club or participating in a school activity because they are LGBTQ,” said Warbelow, according to Church Militant. “While, of course, private groups should have the freedom to express religious viewpoints, they should not be able to unfairly discriminate with taxpayer funds.”

However, Republican state Rep. John Blanton came to the defense of the religious right bill. According to him, the “Charlie Brown law” only protects the First Amendment rights of the public school students.