Parents, family members and friends attending the A&M Consolidated High School graduation ceremony in May will hear a new announcement: Speeches by students are not endorsed by the district.
A local policy governing student expression approved by the College Station school board this week requires the district to print a two-sentence disclaimer on graduation programs.
Administrators also will have to announce the statement before student speakers take the microphone:
"The students who shall be speaking at the graduation ceremony were selected based on neutral criteria to deliver messages of the students' own choices," the disclaimer reads. "The content of and any views expressed during each student speaker's message is solely and entirely the private expression of the individual student and does not reflect the endorsement, sponsorship, position, or expression of the District."
Texas school districts were required to implement a local policy this school year addressing student expression under House Bill 3678, which was passed this summer.
The law requires school districts to include the disclaimer at graduation ceremonies and "any other event in which a student speaks publicly for as long as a need exists to dispel confusion over the district's nonsponsorship of the student's speech."
Several College Station trustees said during their board meeting Tuesday that they were frustrated because the state was requiring such a policy.
"Local policies are supposed to be local polices and not state-mandated policies," trustee Marc Chaloupka said.
The board voted 6-1 to approve the policy, with board President Tim Jones dissenting.
Jones said Wednesday that he voted against the policy because of the required disclaimer.
"I can't imagine what it's going to feel like to a mom, dad or grandparent before their child steps up to offer their remarks and to hear somebody say the words in that disclaimer," he said. "I hate that they're going to have to live through that."
The policy requires that students stay on topic and refrain from promoting the illegal use of drugs, alcohol or other controlled substances and other illegal activity.
The Bryan school board adopted a similar policy earlier this year.
A&M Consolidated Student Body President Sia Mahajan said Wednesday that while the school hasn't had problems with student speakers in the past, the policy can't hurt.
"A lot of times, as high school students, we tend to want to be rebels," she said. "I think sometimes we don't understand the implications of some of the things we say."
Mahajan said that she doesn't think many students are aware of the policy.
"I think they'll be curious about it. I'm curious myself to see what people are going to say."
• Arena Welch's e-mail address is arena.welch@theeagle.com.
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