Councilman wants resolution to support state Student Prayer bill

Conservative Greensboro City Councilman Tony Wilkins wants the city to pass a resolution supporting a state bill on student prayer.

Wilkins, who represents District 5 in west and southwest Greensboro, is bringing forward a resolution at tonight’s city council meeting in support of Senate Bill 370, entitled “Respect for Student Prayer/Religious Activity.”

Read the full bill here.

The bill clarifies the right of students to pray and religious rights in school as well as outlining a grievance process if people feel those rights have been infringed, Wilkins said. The bill, which also outlines rights for school personnel, passed the state Senate by a vote of 48 to 1 yesterday.

The city doesn’t play a role in the education system — that falls to the county (and the school board that is underneath it). When asked why he brought the issue before city council, Wilkins said he “wanted to show support for the bill in the legislature.”

Council has passed resolutions on other issues that don’t directly fall under its purview in recent years, including resolutions opposing “Amendment One” and the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.

“This is something that I had a discussion with several members of the Guilford [County] delegation about,” Wilkins said. ” I would hope that it would pass [city council] unanimously but each person will have to decide how they want to proceed.”