Opinion No. (1997)

DANIEL E. LUNGREN Attorney General GREGORY L. GONOT Deputy Attorney General THE HONORABLE VALERIE BROWN, MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE, has requested an opinion on the following questions: 1. May a school district prohibit all commercial motion picture studios from filming movies on school property? 2. May a school district that permits commercial motion picture studios to film movies on school property deny permission to film certain movies based solely upon their content? CONCLUSIONS 1. A school district may prohibit all commercial motion picture studios from filming movies on school property. 2. A school district that permits commercial motion picture studios to film movies on school property may deny permission to film certain movies based solely upon their content so long as its actions are reasonably related to legitimate pedagogical concerns. ANALYSIS We are informed that a school district has been contacted by a motion picture studio to film a movie at one of the district's schools. Must the district allow the filming of the movie on school property? Assuming it has allowed the filming of some movies in the past, may it deny the filming of this particular movie…