Sikhs in the United States have slammed a state law that would bar teachers from the community in public schools from wearing "religious dress", a move that has the potential to spark a racial row.
Actually, the draft law passed by Oregon broadens religious freedom in the workplace, but it has prompted protests by faith leaders because it exempts schools from the same rights.
The bill, titled the Oregon Workplace Religious Freedom Act, grants workers wide religious leeway as long as the activity, clothing, or other practices do not cause undue hardship on the employer.
The new law "fails in its essence if it doesn't honestly and comprehensively provide religious freedom for all Oregonians", said Rajdeep Singh Jolly, law director of the Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund in Washington, DC.
"It takes two steps forward and 10 steps back," Jolly was quoted as saying by the website oregonlive.com.
