Your school meets the following 3 criteria.
Is your school a secondary school? This is usually a school with grades 9-12.
Is your school government funded? Most public schools are.
Do other non-curriculum clubs meet in your school? Clubs that don’t relate to any classroom or overall school curriculum.
If your answer is “yes” to all three of these, then the Equal Access Act applies to your campus.
2.
Your club is student-led and student-initiated.
To comply with the law, your club must be student-led and student-initiated. Teachers may participate, but only in a “custodial” manner – (if required by your school, a teacher may need to be present to make sure things go smoothly!) You may invite people “guests” to speak occasionally, but the meeting cannot be directed, conducted, or controlled by them.
The term “limited” in “limited open forum” as found in the Equal Access Act, means that your club is limited to the students in your school.
3.
Make full use of your club privileges.
You have the same privileges that other non-curriculum clubs on your school campus have. Your Christian club is entitled to the same recognition that other non-curriculum clubs in your school have. This means you have access to the school newspaper, yearbook, bulletin board, announcements, club fairs, etc..
But the Equal Access Act does not protect disruptive students within the club. Your school may deny Equal Access if:
Order and discipline are not maintained by the students in the club.
The well-being of students and faculty in the school are hindered by students in the club.
Any actions in the meetings are illegal.
