Perumal

Alexander Perumal and Frederick Read appeal from a judgment denying a petition for writ of mandate seeking an order of the court directing Saddleback Valley Unified School District to allow distribution of a religious club’s flyers on the district’s high school campuses and to compel publication of the club’s advertisement in a high school yearbook.

I

During the 1984-1985 school year, Alexander Perumal, a student at El Toro High School, and Frederick Read, a student at Mission Viejo High School, were members of student groups known as “New Life.” The groups were organized to provide a forum for students to engage in Bible study and prayer during school. The students talked informally outside in groups of five to twenty-five during the lunch hour. The school’s principals and the school district were aware of the meetings, but did not object.

In February 1985, in a written request to El Toro’s principal, Perumal sought approval to distribute a flyer announcing the meetings. His request was denied. Read made a similar request to his principal and received the same response. Read also submitted an advertisement for the meetings which he asked be placed in the Mission Viejo…