| Sylvania City School District |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5722 - SCHOOL-SPONSORED PUBLICATIONS AND PRODUCTIONS
The Board of Education may sponsor student publications and productions as means by which students learn, under adult direction, the rights and responsibilities of public expression in a free society.
For purposes of this policy, "publications" shall include any audio, visual, or written materials such as tapes, banners, films, pamphlets, notices, newspapers, books, or other like materials. "Productions" shall include theatrical performances as well as impromptu dramatic presentations. School-sponsored publications and productions include those which are supervised by faculty members and which students, parents, and members of the public might reasonably perceive to the approved or sanctioned by the school.
Such publications and productions also play a vital role in the school program by:
| A. | presenting students and the school to the community; | |
| B. | serving as public relations media; | |
| C. | developing skills in communicating via the mass media; | |
| D. | developing acceptable methods for exercising the constitutional right of free speech. |
In sponsoring a student publication or production, the Board is mindful of the fact that it could be available to any student attending the school, and must, therefore, be generally suitable for all students.
Advertising approved by the building principal is permitted in school newspapers, yearbooks, programs and other materials which are published by student organizations.
The Board reserves the right to designate and prohibit school-sponsored publications or productions which are not protected by the right of free expression because they violate the rights of others. Such unprotected productions are those which:
| A. | are grossly prejudicial to an ethnic, religious, racial, or other delineated group; | |
| B. | libel any specific person or persons; | |
| C. | seek to establish the supremacy of a particular religious denomination, sect, or point of view over any other religious denomination, sect, or point of view; | |
| D. | advocate the use or advertise the availability of any substance or material which may reasonably be believed to constitute a direct and substantial danger to the health of students; | |
| E. | contain obscenity or material otherwise deemed to be harmful to impressionable students who may receive them; | |
| F. | incite violence, advocate the use of force or urge the violation of law or school guidelines. |
The Board also prohibits school-sponsored publications and productions which:
| A. | fail to identify the student or organization responsible for distribution; | |
| B. | solicit funds for nonschool organizations or institutions when such solicitations have not been approved by the Board; | |
| C. | promote, favor, or oppose any candidate for election to the Board or the adoption of any bond issue, proposal, or question submitted at any election. |
The decision whether or not a matter is published or produced shall be made by the adviser. That decision is subject to review by the building administrator, whose decision may be appealed to the Superintendent.
R.C. 3313.20