3511 Page 1 of 2 Student Organizations Students have the right to form organizations or clubs within the school for cultural, social, athletic, and other authorized purposes. Such groups will, in planning their activities, follow guidelines and procedures governing the creation and operation of student organizations in accordance with Board policy, local school requirements and laws. The District will not deny equal access to, or discriminate against, any student group that wishes to conduct meetings during non-instructional times on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical or other content of the speech at such meetings. No groups or meetings will be sanctioned that are otherwise unlawful or which abridge the constitutional rights of any person. No student group will deny membership to any student because of race, religion, nationality or for any reason other than related to the purpose of the organization or group. Hazing or any activity which might be dangerous or embarrassing to an individual is prohibited. Each student club or organization must have a faculty sponsor and a constitution with a written statement of its goals, purposes, and activities. A faculty sponsor or designee must be in attendance at every meeting or activity scheduled on any school premises or “at any school sponsored activity, regardless of location”, to provide general supervision. Students or the faculty sponsor shall cancel any meeting whenever this condition is not met. Non-school personnel may not direct, conduct, control, or regularly attend activities of student groups, unless under the faculty sponsor’s direction. In regard to a religious club or organization, the above policies apply except that the faculty sponsor shall not participate in the meetings themselves. Approved student organizations or clubs will have the right, within established guidelines, to use available school facilities, to have access to available communications, to share available bulletin board space in order to publicize activities, and to distribute notices to publicize an approved activity. No fraternities, sororities, or secret societies are allowed in the schools. Fraternities, sororities and secret societies are defined as organizations whose active memberships are comprised in whole or in part of enrolled students, who are selected on the basis of the decision of the organizations’ membership rather than on the basis of the right of any qualified student to be a member. The District retains the authority to maintain discipline and to protect the well-being of students and staff on any school premises or at any school sponsored activity, regardless of location. While the Board gives students the right to form organizations or clubs within these policy guidelines, this action does not imply that the District or the school is sponsoring a non-curricular student group. Definition On District premises or at any District sponsored activity, regardless of location: shall include, but not be limited to buildings, facilities, and grounds on the District campus, school buses, District parking areas; and the location of any District sponsored activity. This includes instances in which the conduct occurs off the District premises but impacts a District-related activity.
3511 Page 2 of 2 Adopted: 6/2/97
Reviewed: 5/12/03 5/8/06, 1/23/09 2/22/12, 3/12/15
Revised: 8/10/98 3/12/01, 5/21/02
Effective: 7/9/01 7/1/02
Cross Reference:
Major Disciplinary Violations #3272 Suspension from Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Activities #3580
Legal Reference:
Equal Access Act – 20 U.S.C. Section 4071 Board of Educ. Of Westside Com. Schools v. Mergens, 100 S.Ct. 2356(1990) Happock v. Twin Falls School District, 771 F.Supp.1160 (Idaho 1991) IC 33-1901 et. seq.
