A law group focusing on religious issues has threatened to sue 55 school districts across the state regarding a policy on expressing religious beliefs at school.

We agree with the lawsuit — it doesn’t focus on religion in schools so much as it does freedom of speech.

The Independence Law Center has argued that a policy from the Pennsylvania School Board Association misinterprets the First Amendment’s separation of church and state, and as a result districts have limited students’ rights to express religious beliefs during extracurricular activities, such as student clubs.

One example was of a Mechanicsburg school’s Bible club putting up posters about a meeting, and being denied by a review board due to a Bible verse on the poster that the board considered religious promotion.

Butler Area and Slippery Rock Area school districts are listed among the 55 districts in the lawsuit.

We’re glad to hear that both districts are in the process of reviewing and changing the policy.

Slippery Rock’s superintendent referred to the policy as “outdated.” We agree. Based on their responses so far, both Butler County school districts named in the suit could end up being dropped from it.

It appears the Pennsylvania School Board Association’s policy was of a blanket nature, and that it was adopted in many districts without the intent of discriminating against any particular group of students.

Although it’s a topic that’s sure to draw vehement debate, it’s completely understandable for many educators, parents and students not wanting religious instruction in public schools.

We live in a diverse country filled with many religions as well as people who don’t practice religion at all. Therefore, no student should feel forced to participate in a religion that’s not their own. Discussion of world religions can be designated to social studies classes or others where it’s deemed appropriate.

On the other hand, school rules should not prevent students from expressing themselves in groups that have religious components.

If students participate in a club focusing on their religion — whether it’s Christianity, Judaism, Islam or any other — as an extracurricular activity, they should be allowed to express themselves as they see fit in the confines of that group.

Of course, such clubs should have to comply with the same rules by which other school clubs must abide.

Butler Area and Slippery Rock Area school districts should do what they can to accommodate students. It’s good they’re in the process of revising this policy.