Bill would crack down on schools that pass costs to parents | California Watch

Bill would crack down on schools that pass costs to parents | California Watch:

Bill would crack down on schools that pass costs to parents

by Joshua Emerson Smith

Joshua Emerson Smith

Knitty Marie/Flickr

California public schools are not allowed to charge students for educational activities or supplies. That’s been the rule since the state Constitution was ratified more than a century ago, and it was reaffirmed in 1984 by the State Supreme Court.

But if a student’s family is told they have to pay for a textbook or football uniform, their only recourse is an expensive legal battle.

Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of students and parents filed a