School Board Rules Out Pagan Club in FL

June 5, 2004

Source: The First Amendment Center

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=13467

On June 5, 2004 The First Amendment Center reported, "The Okaloosa County School Board passed a rule to prevent a 12-year-old girl from forming a pagan club at her school. The board passed a requirement that clubs have at least five members and a faculty sponsor after the girl's mother, Stephney Aigret, had approached officials at Max Bruner Jr. Middle School in Fort Walton Beach. 'She doesn't have enough people to start her club,' Aigret told the board during an hourlong debate on May 31, as reported by the Northwest Florida Daily News. 'So this, in my opinion, is just one way the government can shut down undesirable clubs.' American Civil Liberties Union members also argued the rule would violate the girl's rights and federal laws on equal access."