A suburban Dallas school district’s rules regulating when students can hand out religious materials are constitutional, a federal appeals court ruled last week.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, in New Orleans, upheld the 2005 Plano district regulations in its decision.
The most recent rules allow students to distribute materials before and after school, at three annual parties, during recess, and at designated tables during school hours. Middle and high schoolers can also hand out items during lunch periods.
Those rules were adopted after four families with students at Plano schools sued, saying their children had been barred from handing out pencils saying “Jesus is the reason for the season,” candy canes with cards describing their Christian origin, and other religious materials.
