School Facility Use

• Key point: Public high school baccalaureate services may be permissible on school property if the school has created an "open forum" by allowing other community groups to utilize its facilities.

• A federal court in Wyoming ruled that a public high school board of education violated the constitution by forbidding the school gymnasium to be used for a baccalaureate service. A group of graduating students asked school officials for permission to rent the school gymnasium for a private baccalaureate service. The service was to be privately sponsored, open to the public, and completely unrelated to school activities. Participation by graduating seniors would be completely voluntary. After receiving verbal approval for their private baccalaureate service, the students had the graduation announcement changed to identify the place, date and time of the baccalaureate ceremony. The school ...