# N.Y. EDN Law § 2554-A: Powers of boards of education to ban fraternities, sororities and other secret societies > New York · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NY_AEDN_T2_A52_S2554-A ## Section - **Citation:** N.Y. EDN Law § 2554-A - **Heading:** Powers of boards of education to ban fraternities, sororities and other secret societies - **Jurisdiction:** New York - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** New York Code / Act EDN / Title 2 / Article 52 / Section 2554-A ## Text § 2554-a. Powers of boards of education to ban fraternities,\nsororities and other secret societies. 1. In its discretion, the board\nof education of each school district, may adopt rules and regulations to\nabolish and/or prohibit any fraternity, sorority or other secret society\nin any secondary school under its jurisdiction.\n 2. Prior to the adoption and promulgation of a rule or regulation in\naccordance with the provisions of subdivision one of this section by any\nboard of education of a school district, the board of education of the\nschool district must find that the fraternity, sorority or secret\nsociety group has by virtue of its activities caused or created a\ndisruption of or interference with the academic processes of any\nsecondary school within its jurisdiction or caused or created any\ninterference with or disruption of the academic progress of any\nindividual student or students in any secondary school within its\njurisdiction.\n 3. For the purposes of this chapter a fraternity, sorority or secret\nsociety shall mean any organization composed wholly or in part of pupils\nenrolled in public secondary schools which exists or seeks to perpetuate\nitself by taking in additional members from the pupils enrolled in such\nschools on the decision of the membership rather than upon the free\nchoice of any pupil in such school but shall not be construed to include\norganizations institutionally sponsored by agencies of public welfare,\nthe Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, the Campfire\nGirls, Young Men's Christian Association, Young Women's Christian\nAssociation, Young Men's Hebrew Association, Young Women's Hebrew\nAssociation, Catholic Youth Organization, Kiwanis International, Hi-Y or\nother similar organizations without limitation to the foregoing.\n 4. Upon and after the adoption and promulgation of a rule or\nregulation in accordance with the provisions of subdivision one of this\nsection by the board of education of any such school district, such\nboard of education may in any secondary school under its jurisdiction\ndiscipline any pupil who shall promise to join, or shall become a member\nof, or shall remain a member of, or shall solicit other persons to join\nany such fraternity, sorority or secret society.\n ## Nearby sections - [N.Y. EDN Law § 2550 Application of article](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NY_AEDN_T2_A52_S2550.md) - [N.Y. EDN Law § 2551 Board of education corporate body](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NY_AEDN_T2_A52_S2551.md) - [N.Y. EDN Law § 2552 Board of education](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_NY_AEDN_T2_A52_S2552.md) - [N.Y. 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