House panel moves in-school protections for ‘patriotic organizations’

Desks in empty dark high, middle, or elementary school classroom with light coming through windows.

The House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee is advancing a bill that would give some groups certain rights in K-12 schools.

Rep. Wyman Duggan’s bill (HB 1317) would allow representatives of so-called “patriotic organizations” time to meet with students and distribute recruitment materials, with schools providing designated time for these groups to pitch their attendees.

The bill also clarifies that certain groups can use school buildings even after the instructional day is over, and stipulates that other groups don’t have the legal right to “equal time.”

Duggan noted the bill “authorizes but does not require” these opportunities to provide “informational materials about these organizations.” Parents would not be informed about these recruitment visits.

Based on a federal designation of “patriotic and national organizations,” the following groups merit this legislative carve-out: the Boy Scouts of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Civil Air Patrol, Future Farmers of America, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Other groups were eliminated via an amendment that brought the bill in alignment with the Senate version.

“Who’s to say that some of these organizations aren’t leaning left or right politically and trying to push a particular ideology on students?” asked Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville Democrat.

Duggan noted that the organizations are designated “patriotic” by the federal government.

Nixon would go on to reiterate concerns about these “organizations even if they seem good on the surface level,” saying they could be inculcating “ideology” that conflicts with her “parental rights.”

Duggan reiterated that only those five “patriotic organizations” would have this legislative carve-out. In the end, he got her vote and everyone else’s in the committee.

The Jacksonville Republican’s bill has one stop before the House floor: the Education & Employment Committee.

The Senate version (SB 1016) is being carried by Republican Sen. Tom Wright. It has two committee stops ahead, in Judiciary and Rules.