Section 3319.614 - Policy regarding staff members and students beliefs, etc(A) Within ninety days after the effective date of this section, the board of education of each school district shall adopt a policy that states all of the following: (1) The school district shall not solicit or require an employee or applicant for employment or academic admission to affirmatively ascribe to, or opine about, specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements, or ideology.(2) The school district shall not solicit or require a student to affirmatively ascribe to specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements, or ideology.(3) The school district shall not use statements of commitment to specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements, or ideology as part of the evaluation criteria for employees or applicants for employment, or employees that are seeking career progression or benefits.(4) The school district shall not use statements of commitment to specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements or ideology as part of the academic evaluation of students.(B) Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit, limit, or restrict any of the following: (1) A school district's authority to require a student or employee to comply with federal or state law, including anti-discrimination laws, or to take action against a student or employee for violation of federal or state law;(2) An educator's academic freedom;(3) An educator's ability to research or write publications about specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements, ideology, or social action;(4) A school district's authority to consider an applicant for employment's scholarship, teaching, or subject matter expertise in the applicant's given academic field;(5) A school district's authority to offer an established character education program.(C) Each school district shall make publicly available all policies, district guidance, and training materials used for students, educators, and staff on all matters regarding specific beliefs, affiliations, ideals, or principles concerning political movements, or ideology. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require school districts to make protected legal communications or guidance publicly available.
Added by 135th General Assembly,HB 214,§1, eff. 10/24/2024.