As our children return to school for the new academic year, we want to take a moment to highlight some important resources that can help you and your children have the best educational experience possible.
Below, you’ll find information on our Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices, key points about religious freedom in public schools, and the latest update on the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Bible Mandate.
If you have any questions, concerns, or would like to discuss your rights as Muslims in Oklahoma, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@ok.cair.com or call us at 405-415-6851.
Educator’s Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
This booklet is designed to assist teachers, principals, administrators, and other educators in developing and implementing policies and programs that foster a culturally sensitive and supportive academic environment. It also serves as a guide for accommodating the religious practices of Muslim students and their families. The information provided offers an overview of general Islamic beliefs and practices.
Religious Freedom in Public Schools
Prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, religious celebrations, dietary and clothing requirements are all components of Islamic rituals and practices. They are considered bona fide religious beliefs, and those who practice them regard them as compulsory religious duties. These are protected by provisions in the Bill of Rights and in federal law:
- The First Amendment to the Constitution protects the free exercise of religion and prevents the government from establishing a state religion.
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Schools that receive federal funds must generally follow federal anti-discrimination policies or risk losing them.
- The Equal Access Act of 1984 (upheld by the Supreme Court in 1990) affirms the right of student-initiated religious clubs to campus media and other resources if the school receives federal funds and permits other student non-curricular clubs to access the same resources.
Some legal protections of religious practices that have been affirmed by the U.S. Department of Education include:
- Students may organize prayer groups and religious clubs to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activity groups.
- Public schools generally may adopt policies relating to student dress and school uniforms to the extent consistent with constitutional and statutory civil rights protections. Schools may not, however, target religious attire in general or the attire of a particular religion for prohibition or regulation.
• Schools may excuse students from class to remove a burden on their religious exercise, including prayer or fasting, at least where doing so would not impose material burdens on other students. It would be constitutional for schools to excuse students from class to enable them to fulfill their religious obligations regarding prayer, fasting, holidays, or other observances. Alternative arrangements for religious exercises (i.e. praying) may occur during lunch breaks or between classes if the students determine that an excuse from class creates a burden. Many federal laws contain provisions that protect religious practices from government infringement. Many include important legal protections that require schools to act against bullying and harassment of students that is based on race, color, national origin, sex, or disability. Although Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not directly cover religion, religious-based harassment of Muslim students is often based on shared ancestry of ethnic characteristics, which is covered.
OSDE Bible Mandate for Public Schools
In July 2024, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters issued instructions following the June 27th mandate that stated the following:
“Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels.”
While the instructions regarding this Bible mandate can be seen here, we are pleased to note that more than twenty school districts, including the state’s largest school district, Oklahoma City Public Schools, have already released public statements opposing any changes to their curriculum in direct defiance of this mandate.
We are actively monitoring this situation, specifically its impact on children as they head back to the classroom. Please notify us immediately at info@ok.cair.com or 405-415-6851 should you have any questions or concerns.