HCSD Attorney Publicly Clarifies CAIR in the Classroom Issue.
A local citizen wrote a letter (email) to the school district asking for a public clarification of the issue of public access to schools and speakers in classrooms. Here is a summary of HCSD Attorney letter in response to that request:
The School Board does have the authority to limit or control outside speakers coming into the classroom. (Specifically, no one has a First Amendment right to be a speaker and come in and speak to a class.) As to the issue of excluding anyone based on content of the speech, the answer is NO, neither the School Board nor the administration can limit the selection of speakers based on content, so long as the content is consistent with the curriculum that is to be taught. So, what the Board does for one would have to be done for all.
So it is either ban ALL outside speakers from the schools, which is
impractical and NOT what the vast majority of parents AND students want,
or allow appropriate speakers - based on content and subject - and keep the "opt-out" option for parents that do not want their child to hear a particular speaker.
As to the issue of public access to classrooms, the Board does have the authority to control entry onto a school or classroom UNLESS the person seeking entry; acts with the force of law, is some other appropriate governmental agent(s) or parents and guardians. Parents/guardians are subject to limitation in appropriate circumstances, including timing, the number of persons seeking entry, security concerns and the like.
(The full letter can be obtained from the District by any citizen.)
Political advertisement paid for and approved by Carol Kurdell for Hillsborough County School Board, County-wide, District 7