Who Decides the Postings on Bulletin Boards?

LEGAL BRIEF

A group of students recently formed an extracurricular club called the Gay-Straight Alliance at their Indiana high school. The stated purpose of the club was to “create an environment that provides support to students during a time that otherwise might be increasingly difficult for LGBTQ students.”

The club was allowed to hold after-school meetings but was prohibited from publicizing its existence on school bulletin boards or the school’s radio station. Club leaders were told they could not raise funds on school property nor do any advertising on school grounds. These restrictions were not applied to any other student group.

The GSA filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming violation of the group’s First Amendment rights and the federal Equal Access Act. After a federal judge entered an injunction prohibiting the school district from imposing the restrictions, the district settled the case and allowed the group to advertise and solicit funds in the same manner as other student groups.