The Yorktown Central School District recognizes that it is unlawful under the Equal Access Act for any public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance, and which has a limited open forum, to 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.
A public secondary school has a limited open forum whenever such school grants an offering to or opportunity for one or more non-curriculum related student groups to meet on school premises during non-instructional time.
Accordingly, as required by federal law, the District will provide a "fair opportunity" to students who wish to conduct a meeting within its limited open forum under the following guidelines:
1. The meeting is voluntary and student initiated;
2. There will be no sponsorship of the meeting by the school, the Board of Education, school employees, external organizations or individuals. Sponsorship as used in this paragraph and as defined in the Equal Access Act is defined as the act of promoting, leading or participating in a meeting. The attendance of a teacher, administrator or other school employee at a meeting for custodial purposes does not constitute sponsorship of the meeting.
3. School personnel are to be present at religious meetings only in a non-participating and unpaid capacity. Such personnel will only be present for custodial purposes and to ensure that all students are attending such meeting voluntarily.
4. The meetings will not interfere with the orderly conduct of educational activities within the school.
5. Non-school persons may not direct, conduct, control or regularly attend activities of the student group.
In addition to the above, the District requires that such meetings be conducted as follows:
1. Meetings will not engage in illegal activities, contain slanderous expressions or endanger the safety, health or welfare of others.
2. Meetings will be open to all students.
3. Any written communications relating to meetings held under this policy, whether posted or distributed (i.e. flyers), must clearly indicate that neither the student group nor the meeting referenced in the communication are sponsored or supported by the school and/or the District.
Cross-ref: 5210 Student Organizations
Adoption Date: December 11, 2000
Amended Date: January 22, 2002
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