Spencer Superintendent Greg Ebeling admits that portions of the district's second "religious liberty" draft policy have been taken from other sources and sample policies.
The second draft's author also acknowledges it still needs some wordsmithing, which is currently occurring as feedback is being received from various groups throughout the community.
As it's currently written, the six-page policy has an introductory section which states the district recognizes individuals' inalienable rights embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
The policy's introduction goes on to acknowledge that public schools may neither instill nor inhibit religion, but that the northwest Iowa district will uphold the First Amendment by "protecting the liberty rights of students of all faiths and no faith."
The draft policy then offers a definition for "religion."
In a statement of purpose for the policy, Ebeling wrote, "The Spencer school district policy is to comply with existing state and federal law regarding religion and religious expression in public schools. Specifically to: 1) allow students and employees to engage in expression of personal religious views or beliefs within the parameters of current law, and 2) maintain the school's official neutrality regarding sectarian religious issues. The district will neither advance nor inhibit religion."
The proposed religious liberty policy's stated purpose goes on to say, "The district endorses teaching about religion where the curriculum indicates it is appropriate and when the classroom atmosphere encourages both teacher and students to be responsible and to respect the rights of each person. Such teaching must foster knowledge about religion, not indoctrination into religion; it should be academic, not devotional or testimonial; it should promote awareness of religion, not sponsor its practice; it should inform students about diversity of religious views rather than impose one particular view; and it should promote understanding of different religious views as well as respect for the rights of persons who hold such views."
Next, student expression of personal religious beliefs or views, graduation exercises, baccalaureate services, distribution of religious materials on school grounds, employee and volunteer worker expression of personal religious beliefs are listed and/or defined in the policy's "religious expression" section.
As the draft's "teacher training and curriculum" section lays out that "the proper role for instruction about religion in the public school is in its educational value and not in religious observance or celebration," curriculum is defined as: "Teachers shall prepare and teach lessons throughout the year and throughout the curriculum that:
* Approach religion as academic, not devotional.
* Strive for student awareness of religions, not acceptance of religions.
* Study about religion, but do not practice religion in the classroom.
* Expose students to diversity of religious views, not impose any particular view.
* Educate about a variety of religions, not promote or denigrate religion.
* Inform students about various beliefs, not conform students to any particular belief.
* Demonstrate the impact of economic, social, political and cultural effects of religion throughout history.
* Are age appropriate.
"Over time, the district curriculum committee may create additional courses or special units of instruction within the curriculum that promote the study of various religions and beliefs throughout the world."
The "religious holidays" section of the policy addresses areas including: In the classroom, holiday programs, religious depictions, religious symbols, religious music and parents' right to excuse students for religious reasons.