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Committee approves substitute clarifying school 'equal access' and limits on mandatory open forums
Summary
Chairman Levert presented a substitute to SB 552 that tracks state-level equal-access language and clarifies schools are not required to open a forum and may restrict conduct that would cause material disruption; members worried K–12 schools that permit group use (e.g., Boy Scouts) could be compelled to allow political or ideological groups.
Chairman Levert (Chairman) presented a substitute version of SB 552 described as a state counterpart to the federal Equal Access Act. The substitute adds text to clarify that nothing in the code "shall be construed or applied to require a public school to establish a limited open forum," and it lists exceptions schools may rely on to prohibit or restrict activities that "could reasonably be forecast to cause a material and substantial disruption" or infringe on other students’ rights.
Members questioned whether the bill would force schools that allow groups like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts to also host political or ideological groups, whether the statute applies to elementary schools, and how the listed categories (political, philosophical, ideological) might be read to include extremist viewpoints. The sponsor pointed out the language echoes the federal Equal Access Act and emphasized the bill preserves schools’ ability to limit conduct that threatens safety or order. The committee moved and approved the substitute.
