ATLANTA — Georgia representatives are moving forward with a bill, inspired by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, that would protect political activities by students in public schools.
If it passes, Georgia would become the first state to pass a law safeguarding students’ free speech rights regardless of their political or social viewpoints, said Sen. Ben Watson, R-Savannah.
The proposal passed the House Judiciary Committee on Monday and could soon reach a final vote in the full House. The state Senate already approved the legislation, Senate Bill 552.
“Public school students in Georgia must be permitted to engage in political activities and expression before, during, and after the school day in the same manner and to the same extent that students may engage in non-political activities and expression,” Watson said.
Rep. Anne Allen Westbrook, D-Savannah, said the bill claims to be neutral at the same time as it honors Kirk, a media personality who co-founded the conservative student organization Turning Point USA. Kirk was assassinated while speaking during a campus debate last year.
The bill is named the “True Patriotism and Universal Student Access Act,” giving it the same acronym as Turning Point USA.
“I can see the emails coming in about this bill as an homage to a particular point of view,” Westbrook said. “Charlie Kirk had a particular point of view, making disparaging comments about Black women, for example, and LGBTQ folks.”
Watson said the bill wouldn’t discriminate, even protecting a hypothetical Satanic political action committee as well as protests, such as students who recently organized against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. The bill allows schools to maintain order and discipline on campus.
The bill would make it illegal for public schools to deny equal access to school facilities for student meetings based on political or ideological content. These groups would be treated the same as other clubs, but neither would be permitted to interfere with instructional time during the school day.
The legislation also would ensure the ability of students to wear clothes and jewelry that display political messages to the same extent they can wear other items that display messages under school dress codes.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat, an initiative of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
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