Pounds v. Katy Independent School Dist.

• Decision Date: 24 September 2007
• Docket Number: Civil Action No. H-06-0527.
• Citation: 517 F.Supp.2d 901
• Parties: Blake POUNDS, et al., Plaintiff, v. KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, et al., Defendants.
• Court: U.S. District Court — Southern District of Texas

517 F.Supp.2d 901

Blake POUNDS, et al., Plaintiff, v. KATY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, et al., Defendants.

Civil Action No. H-06-0527.

United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Houston Division.

September 24, 2007.

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Hiram S. Sasser, III, Liberty Legal Institute, Plano, TX, James Michael Johnson, Alliance Defense Fund, Shreveport, LA, John Dixon Walker, Attorney at Law, The Woodlands, TX, William Charles Bundren, WM Charles Bundren & Associates, Frisco, TX, for Plaintiff.

Christopher B. Gilbert, Bracewell Giuliani LLP, Houston, TX, for Defendants.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

LEE H. ROSENTHAL, District Judge.

Like many public school districts, the Katy Independent School District ("KISD") regulates speech by and to students when they are in school. The plaintiffs, parents of students attending a KISD elementary school, allege that during 2002 to 2006, teachers and the principal at this elementary school prevented the children from speaking about their Christian religious beliefs and from distributing religious items or literature with a Christian message at the school. The plaintiffs allege that the KISD policy on student distribution of nonschool materials on school campuses violates the First Amendment, both facially and as applied. The plaintiffs allege that the KISD policy and practices violate the First Amendment by restricting religious speech. The plaintiffs also assert claims under the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and Texas law. The plaintiffs seek to enjoin KISD from prohibiting students from "distributing literature or other items containing a message from a religious viewpoint during noninstructional time" at the elementary school the plaintiffs' children attended and at other KISD schools.

The parties agreed to litigate the case in stages. The first stage requires this court to decide whether the written KISD policy on student distribution of "nonschool literature" on school campuses is facially unconstitutional. The parties have agreed to defer the second stage, the determination of whether this KISD policy is unconstitutional as applied and whether KISD has other practices that unconstitutionally limit students' religious speech, until the facial challenge is resolved.

The policy, "Student Expression: Distribution of Nonschool Literature" (the "FNAA (Local)" policy), applies in relevant part to students who want to distribute more than ten copies of nonschool material on school campuses or other district property. The plaintiffs have moved for partial summary judgment on their claim that the FNAA (Local) policy is facially unconstitutional. (Docket Entry No. 21).¹ The defendants have cross-moved for partial summary judgment that the FNAA (Local) policy is facially constitutional. (Docket Entry No. 21). The plaintiffs responded to the KISD partial summary judgment motion, (Docket Entry No. 22); the defendants responded to the plaintiffs' summary judgment motion, (Docket Entry No. 23); the plaintiffs replied to the defendants' response, (Docket Entry No. 24); and the defendants replied to the plaintiffs' response, (Docket Entry No. 25). Both sides submitted additional briefing after the Supreme Court's decision in Morse v. Frederick ___ U.S. ___, 127 S.Ct. 2618, 168 L.Ed.2d 290 (2007), (Docket Entries No. 30, 31).²

Based on the pleadings; the motions, responses, and replies; the parties' submissions; and the applicable law, this court denies the plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment and grants the defendants' motion, finding that the KISD FNAA (Local) policy is facially constitutional. The reasons for this ruling are explained in detail below. Given this ruling, the parties are to submit a proposed scheduling order to resolve the remaining "as-applied" challenges to the KISD FNAA (Local) policy and practices, no later than October 5, 2007.

I. Background

In February 2006, the plaintiffs filed a petition for a temporary restraining order in Texas state court. In their petition, the plaintiffs alleged that their children, who attended Pattison Elementary School in the KISD, were prevented from discussing their Christian religious beliefs and prevented from distributing religious literature and items to other students while at school. (Docket Entry No. 1, Ex. A). The plaintiffs brought their claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, arguing that KISD policy and practices violated the students' First Amendment free-speech rights, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. (Id.). The plaintiffs alleged that KISD "favor[ed] non-religion over religion by forbidding and punishing religious speech and favoring non-religious speech." (Docket Entry No. 1, Ex. A at 34).³

The issue now before the court is the facial constitutionality of the KISD FNAA (Local) policy on "Distribution of Non-school Literature." The policy states as follows:

                              Written or printed materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, films
                              tapes, or other visual or auditory materials not sponsored by the District
                              or by a District-affiliated school-support organization shall not be sold
                              circulated, distributed, or posted on any District premises by any District
                              student, except in accordance with this policy and the administrative
                              regulation at FNAA
                              The District shall not be responsible for, nor shall the District endorse
                              the contents of any nonschool literature distributed by students
                              For purposes of this policy, "distribution" means the circulation of more
                              than ten copies of material from a source other than the District
                              Materials distributed under the supervision of instructional personnel as a
                              part of instruction or other authorized classroom activities shall not be
                              considered nonschool literature and shall not be governed by this policy
                              [For distribution of nonschool literature by nonstudents, see GKDA]
                LIMITATIONS   Nonschool literature shall not be distributed by students on District
                ON CONTENT:   property if:
                              1.  The materials are obscene, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate for the
                                  age and maturity of the audience.
                              2.  The materials endorse actions endangering the health or safety of
                                  students.
                              3.  The distribution of such materials would violate the intellectual property
                                  rights, privacy rights, or other rights of another person.
                              4.  The materials contain defamatory statements about public figures or
                                  others.
                              5.  The materials advocate imminent lawless or disruptive action and are
                                  likely to incite or produce such action.
                              6.  The materials are hate literature or similar publications that scurrilously
                                  attack ethnic, religious, or racial groups or contain content
                                  aimed at creating hostility and violence; and the materials would
                                  materially and substantially interfere with school activities or the
                                  rights of others.
                              7.  There is reasonable cause to believe that distribution of the nonschool
                                  literature would result in material and substantial interference with
                                  school activities or the rights of others.
                PRIOR REVIEW  All nonschool literature intended for distribution by students on school
                              campuses or other District premises under this policy shall be submitted
                              to the principal or designee for prior review in accordance with the
                              following:
                              1.  Materials shall include the name of the person or organization
                                  sponsoring the distribution.
                

                              2.  Using the standards found in this policy at LIMITATIONS ON
                                  CONTENT, the principal or designee shall approve or reject submitted
                                  materials within two school days of the time the materials were
                                  received.
                EXCEPTIONS    Prior review shall not be required for distribution of nonschool literature
                TO PRIOR      by District students only in the following circumstances:
                REVIEW
                              1.  Distribution of materials by a student to other attendees during a
                                  meeting of a noncurriculum-related student group authorized to
                                  meet at school during noninstructional time in accordance with
                                  FNAB(LOCAL); or
                              2.  Distribution of nonschool materials in circumstances for which
                                  exceptions to prior review are authorized at GKDA(LOCAL).
                TIME, PLACE,  Each campus principal shall designate times, locations, and means by
                AND MANNER    which nonschool literature that is appropriate for distribution, as provided
                RESTRICTIONS  in this policy, may be made available or distributed by students to
                              students or others at the principal's campus. [See
                              FNAA(REGULATION)].
                              The Superintendent or designee shall designate times, locations, and
                              means for distribution of nonschool literature by students at District
                              facilities other than school campuses, in accordance with this policy.
                VIOLATIONS    Failure to comply with this policy regarding distribution of nonschool
                OF POLICY     literature shall result in appropriate administrative action, including but
                              not limited to confiscation of nonconforming materials, suspension of a
                              noncurriculum-related student group's use of District facilities, and/or
                              other disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.
                APPEALS

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