8136 School Elections and Voting: Facilities Utilization
Adoption Date: 04/24/2003 Reviewed 03/20/17
8000 - Internal Board Policies
Organization
8136 School Elections and Voting: Facilities Utilization
It is the policy of the Board of Education to maintain, on behalf of the District, neutrality with respect to the election of members to the Board of Education and voting upon budgets, as well as propositions at special meetings. No resources, personnel and facilities of the School District shall be utilized in promoting or opposing the candidacy of any member for the Board of Education or any proposition, including the annual school district budget. The Board of Education, however, supports the full exchange of ideas and recognizes its responsibility to provide the public with factual information about school district issues, including the budget and propositions.
Whenever the candidates for member of the Board of Education are listed in a school publication, they shall be listed in the order in which they will appear on the ballot.
Any individual or organization requesting to use the District’s property and facilities for the purpose of introducing any Board candidate(s) or presenting information on any Board candidate or presenting information on the school district budget or propositions to be presented to the voters must do so in an objective and even-handed manner. All candidates for member of the Board of Education shall be given the opportunity to be present at such a meeting and/or to submit information which shall be presented on his/her behalf. Likewise, individuals with different viewpoints regarding the budget or other propositions shall be given equal opportunity to express their viewpoints.
The role of the Board of Education and the administrative staff shall be limited to encouraging voters to participate in voting in school elections, at the budget vote and when propositions are presented at special meetings. Voting related brochures and materials may be created, but shall not contain any endorsement or reference other than presenting factual information.
Notwithstanding the above, members of the Board are free to speak and act as individual citizens on issues relating to school elections and votes and such public expression shall not be construed as Board or District expression or action. The Board member who speaks in the capacity of an individual citizen shall identify his/her view as not being the view or the position of the Board of Education.