IA HF2106

Requires the Iowa Department of Education to annually distribute U.S. Department of Education guidance on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression to all school board members, superintendents, principals, and teachers in public schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.

Mandates the department publish this federal guidance on its website and develop professional development training on protected prayer and religious expression for school staff.

Prohibits school districts from discriminating against or penalizing students for engaging in religious, political, or ideological speech or expressing such viewpoints in the same manner permitted for other student speech.

Requires schools to allow students to express religious, political, or ideological viewpoints in class discussions, homework, artwork, and presentations without academic penalty based on the content of those views, while still permitting assessment using ordinary academic standards.

Extends these protected speech requirements to charter schools and innovation zone schools, requiring them to comply in the same manner as traditional school districts.