STUDENTS LEGAL RIGHTS ON PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUS

1. The right to meet with other religious students and to form Bible Clubs.

2. The right to express your religious beliefs through signs, symbols, and clothing.

3. The right to talk about your religious beliefs and share your faith with other students on campus.

4. The right to distribute religious literature (Bibles), on campus during non-instructional time.

5. The right to pray on campus alone, with others, and during graduation.

6. The right to carry or study your Bible or other religious literature on campus.

7. The right to do research papers, speeches, creative projects or talent programs on religious themes.

8. The right to be exempt from activities that contradict your religious beliefs.

9. The right to celebrate or study religious holidays on campus.

10. The right to study religious themes, religious literature, and religious history.

STUDENT BIBLE DISTRIBUTION DURING NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME

The United States Department of Education has issued a directive to public schools defining the rights of students to engage in private religious speech and literature distribution. The directive makes clear that student religious speech must be treated on an equal footing with nonreligious speech.

“Students have a right to distribute religious literature to their schoolmates on the same terms as they are permitted to distribute other literature that is unrelated to school curriculum or activities. Schools may impose the same reasonable time, place, and manner or other constitutional restrictions on distribution of religious literature as they do on non-school literature generally, but they may not single out religious literature for special regulation.”

Richard W. Riley, The Secretary,

United States Department of Education (1998)

The United States Supreme Court has also held:

“The principle that has emerged from our cases ‘is that the First Amendment forbids the government to regulate speech in ways that favor some viewpoints or ideas at the expense of other.” Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School District, 508 U.S. 384 (1993), quoting City Council of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent, 466 U.S. 789 (1984).

Hopefully these statements will help students and educators understand student rights to distribute Bibles, tracts, and other religious literature during non¬instructional time in schools. However, this information is not legal advice. Every situation is unique. Students are encouraged to consult a licensed attorney if they are prohibited from distributing religious materials.

Students and educators with question may contact the Christian Law Association http://www.Christian Law.org