Gilio v. School Board of Hillsborough County

905 F. Supp. 2d 1262, 2012 WL 5289623, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153622
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedOctober 25, 2012
DocketCase No. 8:12-CV-955-T-27EAJ
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 905 F. Supp. 2d 1262 (Gilio v. School Board of Hillsborough County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gilio v. School Board of Hillsborough County, 905 F. Supp. 2d 1262, 2012 WL 5289623, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153622 (M.D. Fla. 2012).

Opinion

ORDER

JAMES D. WHITTEMORE, District Judge.

Before the Court is the Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation (Dkt. 41), which recommends that Plaintiffs motion for preliminary injunction (Dkt. 9) be granted in part and denied in part. Neither party has objected to the Report and Recommendation.

After careful consideration of the Report and Recommendation in conjunction with an independent examination of the file, I agree with the Magistrate Judge that Plaintiff has demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on her claim that the challenged School Board policies were unconstitutionally applied to J.G.’s speech under Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503, 89 S.Ct. 733, 21 L.Ed.2d 731 (1969).1

As the Supreme Court reasoned in Tinker, “[i]t can hardly be argued that ... [1265]*1265students shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” Id. at 506, 89 S.Ct. 738. Under Tinker, a public school can constitutionally restrict a student’s speech only to prevent a “material and substantial interference with schoolwork or discipline.” 393 U.S. at 511, 89 S.Ct. 733. There is no evidence in this record that distribution of the Easter egg hunt invitations during non-instructional time would have caused any interference with schoolwork or discipline at Lewis. The Magistrate Judge was therefore correct in finding that, as applied to J.D.’s invitations, enforcement of the contested provisions of School Board policies 9700 and 5722 was unconstitutional as view-point based discrimination because enforcement targeted proselytizing messages solely from a religious perspective.

Accordingly, the Report and Recommendation (Dkt. 41) is adopted, confirmed, and approved in all respects and is made a part of this order for all purposes, including appellate review. Plaintiffs motion for preliminary injunction (Dkt. 9) is GRANTED in part, as follows:

(1) The Hillsborough County School Board is ENJOINED from applying Board Policy 9700’s prohibition on proselytizing speech and the incorporated provision of Board Policy 5722 that bans materials seeking to establish the supremacy of a particular religious denomination, sect, or point of view to J.Gfs distribution of invitations to religious-themed events unless such restriction is necessary to prevent a material and substantial interference with schoolwork or discipline.

(2) Plaintiffs request that the Court waive Fed.R.Civ.P. 65(c)’s bond requirement is GRANTED.

(3) Plaintiffs request for an immediate order permitting J.G. to distribute religious invitations and materials during non-instructional time to his friends and classmates at Lewis Elementary and any other relief sought in the preliminary injunction motion is DENIED.

DONE AND ORDERED this 2Jpth day of October, 2012.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

ELIZABETH A. JENKINS, United States Magistrate Judge.

Before the Court are Plaintiff Kimberly Gilio’s (“Plaintiffs”) Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum of Law in Support Thereof (Dkt. 9), Defendant School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida’s (“School Board’s”) Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Dkt. 19), and Plaintiffs Reply Brief in Support of Plaintiffs Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Dkt. 31).1 Oral argument was heard on the motion.2 Upon review of the submissions of the parties and legal arguments, it is recommended that Plaintiffs motion for preliminary injunction be granted in part and denied in part as set forth below.

On May 1, 2012, Plaintiff filed this lawsuit against the School Board alleging violations3 under the U.S. Constitution and [1266]*1266Florida’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Fla. Stat. § 761.01, et seq. Thereafter, Plaintiff filed a motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin the School Board from barring J.G.’s distribution of religious invitations during non-instructional time at school and from enforcing provisions in Board Policy 9700 and Board Policy 5722 that prohibit literature containing certain religious subject matter. (Dkt. 9 at 1)

This case calls upon the Court to reconcile an elementary student’s First Amendment rights with the School Board’s interest in maintaining the educational environment for the benefit of all students. Because Plaintiff has established a substantial likelihood of prevailing on the merits of at least some of her claims and has met the other requirements for preliminary injunctive relief, it is recommended that the motion for preliminary injunction be granted in part.

Findings of Fact

1. At the time of the incident leading to this lawsuit, J.G. was a fourth-grade student at Roland H. Lewis Elementary School (“Lewis Elementary”), a public school in Temple Terrace, Florida.

2. Temple Terrace is located in Hillsborough County, and the School Board oversees all public schools in Hillsborough County.

3. The School Board has enacted two Board Policies, among others, governing the distribution of literature from outside organizations (Board Policy 9700)4 and the regulation of school-sponsored publications and productions (Board Policy 5722).5

4. Students at Lewis Elementary are permitted to distribute birthday party invitations in the classroom provided that the invitations are appropriate for school and each student in the class receives an invitation.6

[1267]*12675. In-March 2012, Plaintiff, who is J.G.’s mother and legal guardian, and other members of her church organized an Easter egg hunt for children to take place on April 7, 2012 in Raintree Manor in Temple Terrace, Florida.

6. Plaintiff made invitations to the event that read:

Join us for an Easter egg hunt!
What: Easter Egg Hunt
Date: April 7th
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Raintree Manor
Why: To have fun and learn the true meaning of Easter.
Bring: Your Easter basket and wear play clothes — parents are welcome to join us.

(Dkt. 9 Ex. 2)

7. The invitation also included Plaintiffs telephone number and email address.

8. On March 26, 2012, J.G. took twenty (20) of the invitations to school with him to distribute to classmates during non-instructional time.

9. Before class started, J.G. gave one invitation to a friend. The distribution of this invitation did not cause any disturbance at Lewis Elementary. The friend’s parent later called to RSVP for the Easter egg hunt.

10. J.G.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Matthews ex rel. M.M. v. Kountze Independent School District
484 S.W.3d 416 (Texas Supreme Court, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
905 F. Supp. 2d 1262, 2012 WL 5289623, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153622, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gilio-v-school-board-of-hillsborough-county-flmd-2012.