Oregon Governor Signs Legislation Ending 87-year-old Ban on Religious Dress for Public School Teachers |
Sikh Advocacy Organizations Join Together to End the Ban on Sikh Teachers in Oregon |
After almost of year of campaigning, SALDEF,
UNITED SIKHS, and the Sikh Coalition were pleased by the signing of HB
3686, effectively ending the ban on teachers having religiously
required dress in school. The campaign began in the Summer
of 2009, when SALDEF initiated a campaign to
overturn 87-year-old legislation originally supported by the Ku Klux
Klan; legislation which had resulted over the years in Sikh, Muslim,
and Jewish teachers being banned from teaching in schools while wearing
religiously mandated dress.
|
|
Governor Ted Kulongoski Speaks Before Bill Signing |
|
Earlier this morning at the signing, Oregon
Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the bill stating that he will make sure
that the bill has "uniform application across the State of Oregon" and
that it will be interpreted correctly to address the discriminatory
concerns. |
|
Speaker Hunt of the Oregon House Speaking about Overturning the Discriminatory Law |
|
Legal Teamwork
UNITED SIKHS, SALDEF, and the Sikh Coalitions’ legal teams worked together and:
- engaged in numerous strategic discussions with various representatives of the Oregon legislature,
- engaged the Sikh community, and other faith leaders to in joint support of the historic effort, and
- prepared and gave testimony before the Oregon legislature on the issue.
|
|
Professor Sukhsimranjit Singh, ICHRA Advisor, UNITED SIKHS; Professor Steve Green; Sathanuman Singh Khalsa, Northwest Regional Director, SALDEF; Bahadur Singh |
|
SALDEF’s Northwest Regional Director,
SatHanuman Singh Khalsa, testified before the Oregon legislature
stating, “As a Sikh American and a proud public servant, I
support an immediate repeal of ORS 342.650. I am a living
testament to the American promise of equal opportunity, but this law is
a throwback to the separate but equal doctrine. As a Sikh, my
turban is as integral to my identity as the color of my skin. If
I were a teacher, I could not, as required by this law, leave my turban
at home to go to work.” |
|
Governor's Guest Registration |
|
The Sikh Community’s Voice is Heard
In January of this year, UNITED SIKHS, SALDEF, and the Sikh Coalition
asked the community to write to Oregon legislators to sign onto House
Bill 3686. Earlier this week, we asked you to call the Governor’s
office. The Sikh Community’s Voice is strong and was heard.
“Being active and involved in progressive
change in America is a vital part of realizing the American dream. The
foundation of Sikh philosophy is egalitarian and its great that so many
Sikh Americans engaged in passing this legislation,” commented
Jaspreet Singh, Staff Attorney for UNITED SIKHS.
For a previous press release on this advocacy effort, please visit: https://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-06-01-2010-00.html
Issued by:
Rucha Kavathe
Media and Communications Coordinator
UNITED SIKHS
888-243-1690
|
|
|
Contact Us |
UNITED SIKHS encourages the Sikh community to wear their kakaars, fearlessly exercise their freedom of religion, and to contact us with any problems, concerns, or incidents of discrimination.
|
|
|