CHAPTER 9.00 SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS

9.09 Equal Access-Availability Of Secondary School Facilities To Students For Meetings

In accordance with The Equal Access Act, the Board authorizes secondary school premises to be made available to student who wish to conduct meetings during non-instructional time. Non-instructional time is defined as the time set aside by the school in the morning before actual classroom instruction begins or in the afternoon after actual classroom instruction ends, exclusive of the optional periods offered by the Board. The use of secondary school premises for these meetings may be approved by the school's administrative staff in accordance with the following provisions: 

(1) The meeting: 

(a) Is voluntary and student-initiated 

(b) Does not materially and substantially interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school; 

(c) Is not directed, conducted, controlled, or regularly attended by non school persons; 

(d) Does not require additional tax funds; and 

(e) Is not otherwise unlawful. 

(2) The length of the meeting shall not extend beyond 4:30 p.m., unless extended by individual school policy. 

(3) Admission fees are not charged during the course of the meeting. 

(4) Application for use of secondary school premises shall be directed to the school principal in writing by the student initiating the request, and there shall be no sponsorship of the meetings by the school, the School Board or its agents or employees. 

(a) The term "sponsorship: includes the act of promoting, leading, or participation in a meeting. 

(b) The assignment of a teacher, administrator, or other school employee to a meeting for custodial purposes does not constitute sponsorship of the meeting. 

(c) Employees or agents of the school of School Board may be present at meetings only in a non-participatory capacity. 

(5) Use of school premises shall not be denied on the basis of the number of participants or on the basis of contents of the speech at such meetings, e.g., religious, political, philosophical; however, nothing in this Rule shall construed to limit the authority of the school, its agents or employees, 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. 

(6) Denial by the principal of the use of school premises to any student initiated group for the purposes of conducting a meeting during non instructional time may be appealed to the Superintendent. 

STATUTORY AUTHORITY : 1001.41, F.S. 

LAWS IMPLEMENTED: The Equal Access Act - P.L 98-377; 20 U.S.C. 4071; 1001.42, 1001.43, F.S. 

HISTORY:

Adopted: 

Revision Date(s): July 1, 1996; January 14, 1999; February 9, 2010 

Formerly: