3231 - OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF

The Board expects professional staff members to avoid situations in which their personal interests, activities, and associations may conflict with the interests of the District. If such situations threaten a staff member's effectiveness within the school system, the Superintendent shall evaluate the impact of such interest, activity, or association upon the professional staff member's responsibilities. Staff members are expected to notify the Superintendent of their involvement in any outside organization, association, or the like if the staff member's role as a member of the District's staff is tied directly to involvement in the identified outside activity. Additionally, staff members are expected to notify the Superintendent of involvement in any outside activity, if the staff member will receive compensation for any outside activities (refer also to Policy 3230 - Ethics and Conflict of Interest).

1. Staff members should not give work time to an outside interest, activity, or association without a valid reason to be excused from assigned duties.
2. Staff members shall not use school property or school time to solicit or accept customers for private enterprises without written administrative permission consistent with Board Policy 7510 - Use of District Facilities.
3. Staff members shall not engage in business transactions on behalf of private enterprises in which the staff member may profit by virtue of the staff member official position or authority or benefit financially from confidential information which the employee has obtained or may obtain by reason of the staff member's position or authority.
4. Staff members shall not campaign on school property during duty hours on behalf of any political issue or candidate for local, State, or National office.
5. Staff members should avoid conduct and associations outside the school which, if known, could have an adverse or harmful effect upon the school community.

6. Staff members should refrain from expressions that would disrupt harmony among their co-workers or interfere with the maintenance of discipline by school officials.

Research and Publishing

1. Professional staff members are encouraged to contribute articles to professional publications and to engage in approved professional research.

2. Materials which might be considered for publication and/or production, which identify the District in any manner, shall be cleared with the Superintendent prior to publication and/or production.

3. Publications and productions shall be subject to the following copyright provisions:

   1. Rights to copyrights or patents of books, materials, devices, etc. developed by professional staff members on their own time will be
      relinquished by the Board upon request of the staff member provided that:

      1. the books, materials, devices, etc. were prepared without the use of District data, facilities, and/or equipment;

      2. the District is granted the privilege of purchasing the materials or products free of any copyright or royalty charges;

      3. the staff member does not become involved in any way in the selling of the product to the District.

         The final decision regarding whether materials were produced independently of any work assignment, and/or without using school equipment, facilities, data, or equipment rests with the Superintendent.

         Professional staff members who desire to publish or produce materials on their own time should make such action known to the Superintendent prior to the time such work is started in order that proper procedures can be established to assure that District interests and the interests of the staff member are protected.

   2. All books, materials, devices, or products which result from the paid work time and/or prescribed duties of professional staff members shall remain the property of the District. The District shall retain all rights and privileges pertaining to the ownership thereof.
      
      In the event that any of these products have commercial possibilities, the Superintendent is authorized to secure copyrights, patents, etc. which will ensure the ownership of the product by the District.

The Superintendent is authorized to negotiate with appropriate agencies for the production and distribution of products with commercial appeal. Such negotiations shall ensure fair and appropriate compensation, including sharing of royalties, for the staff member(s) who developed the products.

Revised 2/18/19
Revised 10/19/20
T.C. 7/31/24

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