Equal Access Act

The Equal Access Act is a United States federal law passed as Title VIII of the Education for Economic Security Act in 1984 to compel federally funded public secondary schools to provide equal access to extracurricular student clubs. Lobbied for by Christian groups who wanted to ensure students the right to conduct Bible study programs during lunch and after school, it is also essential in litigation regarding the right of students to form gay–straight alliances; and to form groups focused on any religion or on secularism. The Equal Access Act mandates public schools provide equal access to extracurricular school clubs.

Equal Access Act
Long titleDenial of equal access prohibited
Enacted bythe 98th United States Congress
EffectiveAugust 11, 1984
Citations
Public law20 U.S.C. § 4071
Codification
Titles amended20
U.S.C. sections created4071
Legislative history
United States Supreme Court cases
Westside Community Board of Education v. Mergens, 496 U.S. 226 (1990)
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