The Florida Senate

1006.14  Secret societies prohibited in public K-12 schools.--

(1)  It is unlawful for any person, group, or organization to organize or establish a fraternity, sorority, or other secret society whose membership is comprised in whole or in part of students enrolled in any public K-12 school or to go upon any public K-12 school premises for the purpose of soliciting any students to join such an organization.

(2)  A secret society shall be interpreted to be a fraternity, sorority, or other organization whose active membership is comprised wholly or partly of students enrolled in public K-12 schools and which perpetuates itself wholly or partly by taking in additional members from the students enrolled in public K-12 schools on the basis of the decision of its membership rather than on the right of any student who is qualified by the rules of the school to be a member of and take part in any class or group exercise designated and classified according to gender, subjects included in the course of study, or program of school activities fostered and promoted by the district school board and district school superintendent or by school principals.

(3)  This section shall not be construed to prevent the establishment of an organization fostered and promoted by school authorities, or approved and accepted by school authorities, and whose membership is selected on the basis of good character, good scholarship, leadership ability, and achievement. Full information regarding the charter, principles, purposes, and conduct of any such accepted organization shall be made available to all students and instructional personnel of the school.

(4)  This section shall not be construed to relate to any junior organization or society sponsored by the Police Athletic League, Knights of Pythias, Oddfellows, Moose, Woodmen of the World, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Masons, B'nai B'rith, Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Associations, Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations, Kiwanis, Rotary, Optimist, Civitan, Exchange Clubs, Florida Federation of Garden Clubs, and Florida Federation of Women's Clubs.

(5)  It is unlawful for any student enrolled in any public K-12 school to be a member of, to join or to become a member of or to pledge himself or herself to become a member of any secret fraternity, sorority, or group wholly or partly formed from the membership of students attending public K-12 schools or to take part in the organization or formation of any such fraternity, sorority, or secret society; provided that this does not prevent any student from belonging to any organization fostered and promoted by the school authorities; or approved and accepted by the school authorities and whose membership is selected on the basis of good character, good scholarship, leadership ability, and achievement.

(6)  The district school board may enforce the provisions of this section and prescribe and enforce such rules as are necessary. District school boards shall enforce the provisions of this section by suspending or, if necessary, expelling any student in any public K-12 school who violates this section.

History.--s. 284, ch. 2002-387.