By ED SEALOVER THE GAZETTE

DENVER - Sen. Dave Schultheis' Religious Bill of Rights, which he described as an idea that could draw national attention, died with barely a whimper in a Senate committee Wednesday.

After more than two hours of testimony, members of the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee spoke for a few minutes before rejecting it on a partyline vote.

Senate Bill 138 would have laid out ways in which Colorado public school students and teachers are allowed to display their religions. It also would have required school districts to inform parents and students of these rights and would have required compliance to be

an element of accreditation for each school.

Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, argued he was simply listing existing rights so that school officials would no longer be confused about what expressions of faith are allowed. Students would be allowed to wear religious clothing and select religious material for a school assignment and teachers could opt out of teaching curriculum that contrasts with their religious beliefs.

Representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union and Anti-Defamation League argued that Schultheis was creating new rights, such as the ability to sing religious songs at school-sponsored events. Democratic committee members said the question is more of an issue for local school boards than the General Assembly.

"I don't doubt that there is maybe some unevenness in how (students') rights are being interpreted by school officials," Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver, said. "But I do think there would be some excessive entanglement issues here."

Schultheis produced witnesses who described instances of what they called discrimination.

Steve Corder repeated the story of his daughter Erica, who was forced to apologize to her graduating class last year after referencing her faith in her valedictory address at Lewis-Palmer High School.

Ryan Davis, a seventhgrader at Jenkins Middle School in Colorado Springs, testified that a sixth-grade teacher refused to let him do a paper for literature class on a religious subject, telling him she might get in trouble if he did.

"There is pervasive misconception that the expression of one's religious views is somehow inappropriate," Schultheis said. "It's a confusion issue. It's an inconsistency, and that is really the purpose of bringing this bill."

Schultheis called the measure fair to all religions, but Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, said references in the bill to Christmas and Bible clubs made it seem partial to Christians.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com

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