Bill Description: House Bill 680 would require schools to receive the permission of a student’s parents or legal guardians before that student takes part in any school club or organization. It would also obligate school boards to give parents a notice and description of all clubs or organizations that students may join.
Rating: +3
Does the bill allow schools to be more flexible, improve feedback mechanisms, and decentralize decisions to the family or individual level? (+) Conversely, does the bill add to the existing education bureaucracy? (-)
House Bill 680 improves feedback mechanisms by requiring local school boards to notify a student’s parents or legal guardians about the school clubs and organizations available to students. The bill would also reinforce parental authority by requiring school boards to receive express written consent from a student’s parents or legal guardians before that student “joins or participates in a school club or organization.” A student would not be allowed to participate in an organization without parental approval.
(+1)
Does the bill create more transparency or accountability in public education institutions? (+) Conversely, does the bill reduce transparency and accountability in such institutions? (-)
House Bill 680 would create more transparency in public education institutions by requiring school boards to notify parents annually about the clubs and organizations open to students. The notification would be required to include the name of each organization, its mission, its faculty adviser, and “a description of [its] past and planned activities.” School boards would also need to provide this same information to parents if any club or organization is created mid-school year.
(+1)
Does the bill reinforce the idea of equal treatment under the law, merit, individual responsibility, personal agency, and expectations of academic excellence? (+) Conversely, does the bill allow for any type of discrimination against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group for any purpose on the basis of race, sex, color, economic class, ethnicity, national origin, geographic area, legacy status, or other identity group? (-)
House Bill 680 reinforces the idea of equal treatment under law by requiring school boards to treat all student clubs equally. Under the proposed law, school boards would not be allowed to “deny a religious, political, or ideological student club or organization official recognition or any benefit or privilege available to any other school club or organization.” A school board would not be allowed to discriminate against any club or organization that requires its members or leaders to affirm certain beliefs, comply with specified standards of conduct, or promote its stated mission.
(+1)
