Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Any request from civic institutions, charitable organizations, or special interest groups which involve such activities as patriotic functions, contests, exhibits, sales of products to and by students, sending promotional materials home with students, graduation prizes, fund raising, and free teaching materials must be carefully reviewed to ensure that such activities promote student interests.

It is the policy of the Board of Education that students, staff members, and District facilities not be used for promoting the interests of any nonschool agency or organization, public or private, without the approval of the Board or its designee; and any such approval, granted for whatever cause or group, shall not be construed as an endorsement of said cause or group by this Board.
 

A.

Political Interests
 
 

All materials or activities proposed by outside political sources for student or staff use or participation shall be reviewed by the Superintendent and/or principal on the basis of their educational contribution to part or all of the school program, benefit to students, and no such approval shall have the primary purpose of advancing the special interest of the proposing group.
   
 

The Board shall permit the use of educational materials, programs, and equipment which contains commercial messages providing the content of such messages and the manner of presentation has been approved by the Superintendent and is in compliance with the District's administrative guidelines.
 
 

In addition, the Board shall permit school organizations and/or school-affiliated groups to sell space in District facilities, on District property, or in District publications for the express purpose of advertising the products or services of a commercial organization, providing the content of such advertisements and the manner of their presentation has been approved by the Superintendent and is in compliance with the District's administrative guidelines.
 
 

Outside speakers representing commercial organizations will be welcome only when the commercial aspect is limited to naming the organization represented and the subject matter advances the educational aims of the District.
 
 

B.

Contests/Exhibits
 
 

The Board recognizes that contests, exhibits, and the like may benefit individual students or the District as a whole, but participation in such special activities may not:
 
 

1.

have the primary effect of advancing a special product, group, or company;
 
 

2.

make unreasonable demands upon the time and energies of staff or students or upon the resources of the District;
 
 

3.

involve any direct cost to the District;
 
 

4.

interrupt the regular school program unless the student body as a whole derives benefit from such activities;;
 
 

5.

cause the participants to leave the School District, unless:
 
 

a.

the Board's Policy 2340 - Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips - has been complied with in all aspects;
 
 

b.

the Board has granted special permission;
 
 

c.

the parents of a minor student have granted their permission.
 

C.

Distribution/Posting of Literature
 
 

No outside organization or staff member or student representing an outside organization may distribute or post literature on that organization's behalf on District property either during or after school hours without the permission and prior review of the Superintendent and/or principal.
     
 

D.

Solicitation of Funds
 
 

Any outside organization or staff member representing an outside organization desiring to solicit funds on school property must receive permission to do so from the Superintendent and/or principal.
 
   
 

Permission to solicit funds will be granted only to those organizations or individuals who meet the permission criteria established in the District's administrative guidelines. Solicitation must take place at such times and places and in such a manner as specified in the administrative guidelines. In accordance with Board Policy 5830, no District student may participate in the solicitation without the Superintendent's approval.
 
 

The Board disclaims all responsibility for the protection of, or accounting for, such funds.
 
 

Solicited funds are not to be deposited in any regular or special accounts of the District.
 
 

A copy of this policy as well as the relevant administrative guidelines shall be given to any individual granted permission to solicit funds on District property.
 
 

This policy does not apply to the raising of funds for District-sponsored or school-sponsored activities.
   
 

E.

Prizes/Scholarship
 
 

The Board of Education is appreciative of the generosity of organizations which offer scholarships or prizes to deserving students in this District.
 
 

The principal, together with a committee of staff members designated by the principal, may be involved in the selection of the recipient and, if agreeable to the sponsoring organization, the selection shall be left entirely to the principal and staff committee.
 
 

F.

Sale of School Supplies
 
 

In determining the appropriateness of the sale of school supplies by organizations other than the School District, the Board requires that:
 
 

1.

the organization have a purpose which will benefit the School District and its students;
 
 

2.

the organization's planned activities are clearly in the best interest of the School District and its students;
 
 

3.

the organization has submitted the following information and assurances on the form provided by the District: a statement noting the purpose of the organization, financial accountability assurances, and use of facility assurances.
 
 

All funds generated by the sale of such school supplies shall be kept separate from other activity funds or other transactions of the Board.
   
 

G.

Surveys and Questionnaires
 
 

Neither District-related nor nondistrict-related organizations shall be allowed to administer a survey or questionnaire to students or staff unless the instrument and the proposed plan is submitted, in advance, to the Superintendent. If approved, a copy of the results and the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to him/her for review and approval before they are released.
 
 

Students shall not be required to complete surveys to provide marketing information to vendors, or distribute to vendors any personal information of students, including but not limited to names, addresses, and telephone numbers, except as may be required by law. In addition, the District shall not enter into any contract for products or services, including electronic media services, where personal information will be collected from the students by the providers of the services.
 
 

See also Policy 2416 and AG 2416.

R.C. 3313.75-.78