IA SF2300

Iowa Department of Education must 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.

Schools are prohibited from discriminating against or penalizing students for engaging in religious, political, or ideological speech or expression in the same time, place, and manner permitted for other student speech.

Students may express religious, political, or ideological viewpoints in classroom discussions, homework, artwork, presentations, and oral assignments without academic penalty based on the viewpoint content, though ordinary academic standards still apply.

The Department of Education must develop and distribute professional development training on constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression, plus a model compliance policy for schools to adopt.

Civil penalties are established for enforcement of these protected speech and expression requirements in school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools.