FNAB - STUDENT EXPRESSION: USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR NONSCHOOL PURPOSES

EQUAL ACCESS ACT

Because the School’s secondary program receives federal financial assistance and has a limited open forum, see below, the School shall not deny equal access or a fair opportunity to, or discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within that limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings.

20 U.S.C. 4071(a)

ESTABLISHMENT OF LIMITED OPEN FORUM

For purposes of the Equal Access Act, the Board establishes a limited open forum for students attending the School’s secondary programs. The School’s secondary programs shall offer an opportunity for noncurriculum-related student groups to meet on school premises during noninstructional time.

The Principal shall set aside noninstructional time before or after actual classroom instruction for meetings of noncurriculum-related student groups.

Students wishing to meet on school premises shall file a written request with the Principal. The request shall contain a brief statement of the group's purposes and goals, a list of the group's members, and a schedule of its proposed meeting times. Requests shall be approved by the Principal subject to availability of suitable meeting space and without regard to the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech likely to be associated with the group's meetings. Notices of meetings may be posted in a manner determined by the Principal.

STAFF PARTICIPATION PROHIBITED

School personnel shall not promote, lead, or participate in the meetings of noncurriculum-related student groups. The Principal may assign staff to monitor student meetings, as needed, and may establish reasonable written guidelines for the conduct of meetings to maintain order and discipline, protect the well-being of students and faculty, and ensure that student attendance is voluntary.

VIOLATIONS

Failure of a noncurriculum-related student group to comply with applicable rules may result in loss of the right to meet on school premises. The Principal shall report rule violations to the Superintendent.

SUSPENSIONS

Depending upon the seriousness of any rule violations, the Principal may suspend a noncurriculum-related student group's right to meet on school premises for the balance of the school year or some lesser time period. If a determination to suspend a group occurs during the last reporting period of the school year, the suspension may extend through the end of the first semester of the next school year. Suspensions or warnings imposed by the Principal may be appealed to the Board in accordance with FNG.

DEFINITIONS

"Noninstructional time" means time set aside by the school before actual classroom instruction begins or after actual classroom instruction ends. 20 U.S.C. 4072(4)

"Noncurriculum-related student group" means any student group that does not directly relate to the body of courses offered by the school. A student group directly relates to the school's curriculum if it meets any of the following criteria:

1. The subject matter of the group is actually taught or will soon be taught in a regularly offered course.
2. The subject matter of the group concerns the body of courses as a whole.
3. Participation in the group is required for a particular course.
4. Participation in the group results in academic credit.

Westside Cmty. Sch. v. Mergens, 496 U.S. 226, 110 S. Ct. 2356 (1990)

FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT MEETINGS

The School shall be deemed to offer a fair opportunity for students to conduct meetings within its forum if it uniformly provides that:

1. The meeting is voluntary and student-initiated.
2. There is no sponsorship of the meeting by the school or any government or its agents or employees.
3. School employees are present at religious meetings only in a nonparticipatory capacity.
4. The meeting does not materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school.
5. Nonschool persons shall not direct, conduct, control, or regularly attend activities of student groups.

20 U.S.C. 4071(c)

The School is not permitted to:

1. Influence the form or content of any prayer or other religious activity.
2. Require any person to participate in prayer or other religious activity.
3. Expend public funds beyond the incidental cost of providing the space for student-initiated meetings.
4. Compel any School employee to attend a meeting if the content of the speech at the meeting is contrary to the beliefs of the employee.
5. Sanction meetings that are otherwise unlawful.
6. Limit the rights of groups of students that are not of a specified numerical size.
7. Abridge the constitutional rights of any person.

20 U.S.C. 4071(d)

MAINTAIN ORDER

The School retains the authority to maintain order and discipline on school premises, to protect the well-being of students and faculty, and to assure that attendance of students at meetings is voluntary.

20 U.S.C. 4071(f)

Adopted: 5/25/05

Amended:

Reviewed: