Religious headwear should not be prohibited according to one lawmaker
Jan 5, 2023, 9:00 AM | Updated: 9:46 am
The program is part of an initiative sponsored by Utah's First Lady Abby Cox. {Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — A state lawmaker wants to make it illegal to ask students to take off religious headwear or clothing when playing school sports.
Representative Candice Pieurcci said she’s running the bill after a group of Sikh students in her district were asked to take off their turbans or forfeit their game.
Pierucci explained a basketball referee told the students to, “take those towels off their heads.” The students then tried to explain their religious importance.
“We are a state that should be acutely in-tune with religious freedom I would think,” said Pierucci.
“To me it is beyond incredibly unfortunate,” Pierucci continued. “We’re failing these kids by not having clear protections in place for their ability to practice their religion and participate in athletics”
The bill goes against any K-12 schools that prohibit kids from practicing religion while playing sports. This means that students should be able to wear religious headwear.
According to Pierucci, this will allow students and make accommodations for their personal standards of modesty, resulting in their ability to participate in sports.
