Pasco students fight to preserve protest rules in school conduct code
Dozens of Pasco County students packed a school board meeting to oppose changes to the Student Code of Conduct. The proposed update would remove a section detailing rules for student assemblies—a move many see as a reaction to recent state-wide crackdowns on protests.
Superintendent John Legg later suggested a compromise, but tensions remain high as the board prepares for a final vote in the coming weeks.
The dispute began when the school board proposed stripping the assembly guidelines from the current student code. Officials argued the rules were redundant, but students insisted they provided necessary clarity. Jacob Agnes, one of the speakers, warned that without these guidelines, students risked arrest for unclear violations.
On March 13, protests erupted outside the board offices, prompting Superintendent Legg to rethink the plan. Instead of removing the assembly section entirely, he proposed adding 'peaceful student assembly' to the rights and responsibilities chapter. Yet critics, including community member Alicia Ziley and student Samantha Cooper, called the new wording too vague and reactive.
The debate comes as Florida's Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas tightens protest policies statewide. Since January 2026, his office has expanded 'free speech zones' and redefined disruptive demonstrations as trespassing offences. Over 150 university students, including those at the University of Florida and Florida State, have faced suspensions after rallies in February and March.
The Pasco County School Board will now vote on the revised code at a future meeting. Students have vowed to keep pushing back, fearing the changes could silence dissent under broader state restrictions.
The board's decision will determine whether Pasco County keeps its detailed assembly rules or adopts Legg's alternative. Either way, the outcome will reflect how local schools balance student rights with Florida's stricter protest policies. The vote's timing remains unconfirmed, but the dispute has already drawn wider attention to student activism in the state.
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