RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS | Policy Manual

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, fundraising, and free teaching materials must be carefully reviewed to ensure that such activities promote student interests without advancing the special interests of any particular group.

It is the policy of the School Board that students, staff members, and School Corporation facilities not be used for advertising or promoting the interests of any non-school agency or organization, public or private, without the approval of the Board or its delegated representative; 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.

Political/Commercial Interests

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

The Board shall permit the use of educational materials, programs, and equipment which contains commercial messages provided the content of such messages and the manner of presentation has been approved by the Superintendent and is in compliance with the Corporation'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 Corporation.
Patriotic Youth Membership Organizations

The Board may provide a representative of a Patriotic Youth Membership Organization, as defined and organizations listed in Title 36 of the United States Code (e.g., Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the United States, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, and Boys and Girls Club of America) that has an educational purpose and promotes patriotism and civic involvement to provide an oral, written, or oral and written information regarding the organization to students of the Corporation.
If the organization makes such a request to provide oral or written information to students, the Corporation is required to provide at least one (1) time each school year, with a specific day and time specified, for the organization to provide the information on Corporation property.
Prior to the representative from the Patriotic Youth Membership Organization being permitted on Corporation property, the Corporation shall conduct an expanded criminal history check on the representative seeking to present information to students on Corporation property. The Corporation may request written consent for the expanded criminal history check from the representative of the organization. The representative is responsible for all costs associated with obtaining the expanded criminal history check.
A Corporation may, upon receipt of the expanded criminal history check, refuse to allow a representative to provide information if the representative that has been selected from the Patriotic Youth Membership Organization has been convicted of a felony listed in I.C. 20-28-5-8(c) or I.C. 20-28-5-8(d).
Contests/Exhibits

The Board recognizes that contests, exhibits, and the like may benefit individual students or the Corporation 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 Corporation;
3. involve any direct cost to the Corporation;
4. interrupt the regular school program;
5. cause the participants to leave the Corporation, unless:
  1. Board Policy 2340 - Field and Other Corporation-Sponsored Trips has been complied with in all aspects;
  2. the Board has granted special permission;
  3. the parents of a minor student have granted their permission.
Distribution/Posting of Literature

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

The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines which ensure that:
1. criteria established in Policy 5722 – School-Sponsored Publications and Productions are used to make a decision regarding materials that students seek to post or distribute;
2. distribution or posting of materials employees wish to distribute on behalf of an employee organization comply with the terms of negotiated collective bargaining agreements;
3. the school mail system is not used by students or staff for distribution of nonschool-related materials;
4. no materials from any profit-making organization are distributed for students to take home to their parents;
5. the time, place, and manner of distribution of all nonschool-related materials is clearly established and communicated;
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.

Permission to solicit funds will be granted only to those organizations, individuals, or staff members who meet the permission criteria established in the Corporation'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 Corporation 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 Corporation.

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

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

Crowdfunding activities aimed at raising funds for a specific classroom or school activity, including extra-curricular activity, or to obtain supplemental resources (e.g., supplies or equipment) that are not required to provide a free appropriate public education to any students in the classroom may be permitted, but only with the specific approval of the Superintendent.

All crowdfunding activities are subject to Policy 6605 and any administrative guidelines adopted by the Superintendent to implement Policy 6605.

Any booster club or school-support group that may use students in a fundraising activity must comply with I.C. 4-32.2-5-21 and Board Policy 5830 for any of the following types of fundraising events: bingo games, charity game nights, raffles, door prizes, fundraising festivals, activities related to pull tabs, punch-boards, tip-boards, and the like. Moreover, any fundraiser involving games of chance must comply with Indiana law, including obtaining the appropriate license or permits.
Prizes/Scholarships

The Board is appreciative of the generosity of organizations which offer scholarships or prizes to deserving students in this Corporation. But, in accepting the offer of such scholarships or prizes, the Board directs that these guidelines be observed:
1. No information, either academic or personal, shall be released from the student's record for the purpose of selecting a scholarship or prize winner without the permission of the student who is eighteen (18), or the parents of a student who is younger in accordance with the Board's policy on student records.
2. The type of scholarship or prize, the criteria for selection of the winner, and any restrictions upon it shall be approved by the Board.
Surveys and Questionnaires

Neither Corporation-related nor noncorporation-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 in accordance with the Superintendent's criteria, a copy of the results and the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to the Superintendent for review and approval before they are released.