[MeriwetherMatters] December 7, 2007

[MLS Matters]

MERIWETHER MATTERS: December 7, 2007


Superintendent's  Message  to  the  Community  

December  7,  2006  

  

Dear  Community  Members,   

Albemarle  County  Public  Schools,  like  all  other  school  divisions  across  the  country,
 is  guided  in  its  daily  operations  by  state  and  federal  laws,  and  local  School  Board
 policy.  From  time  to  time  we  receive  questions  about  practices  in  Albemarle  County
 schools.  This  Superintendent's  Message  to  the  Community is  a  communications  vehicle  I
 will  use  occasionally  to  share  information  about  School  Division  practices  and  issues
 people  are talking  about.   


Recently,  a  flyer  from  the  Thomas  Jefferson  Memorial  Church  regarding  an  educational
 program  for  children  about  the  traditions  of  December  and  their  origins  was
 distributed  through  our  schools.  The  flyer  was  carried  home  to  families  by  elementary
 students  and  posted  at  the  middle  and  high  schools.  The  event  included  a  pagan
 ritual  to  celebrate  Yule.  The  flyer  generated  inquiries  about  our  policy  for
 distribution  of  materials  through  schools.   


The  related  Albemarle  County  School  Board  Policy  KF  (Distribution  of  Materials  by
School sponsored,  Government  or  Outside  Organizations)  can  be  viewed  on  our website  at
 www.k12albemarle.org  under  the  School  Board link.   
 

Policy  KF  was  updated  by  our  School  Board  this  fall  to  meet  changes  in  legal
 requirements  regarding  rights  of  access  to  public  schools  under  the  1st  Amendment.
 The  School  Board  was  prompted  to  revise  this  policy  during  the  summer  months  when  a
 parent  challenged  a  Division  decision  to  prohibit  the  distribution  of  a  flyer  in  an
 elementary  school  for  a  community  Bible  Club.  The  Division's  policy  at  the  time
 required  staff  to  deny  requests  from  groups  asking  to  circulate  flyers  for  partisan,
 sectarian,  religious  or  political  purposes.  However,  federal  court  decisions  during  the
 past  few  years  regarding  access  to  schools  have  enforced  the  rights  of  religious
 groups  to  distribute  materials  in  public  schools  to  the  same  extent  as  other
 organizations.    


Under  current  legal  requirements,  local  public  schools  may  not  discriminate  against
 religious  or  other  community  organizations  that  seek  to  have  their  information
 distributed  in  the  schools.   


Our  School  Board  therefore  had  two  options  to  consider  –  allowing  all  outside  groups
 to  distribute  flyers  in  schools  or  allowing  none.  The  School  Board  defines  outside
 organizations as  any  non-profit  or  tax-exempt  organization  other  than  school-related  or
 governmental  organizations.  The  School  Board  agreed  that  materials  distribution  is  a
 valuable  community  service  that  can  provide  families  with  information about
 opportunities  they  can  choose  to  participate  in  outside  of  school  if  they  determine
 the  activity  is  beneficial  for  their  child.  The  School  Board  voted  to  allow  equal
 access  to  all  community  organizations  for  flyer  distribution  in  schools.  It  also
 approved  some  new  requirements  relating  to  the  time,  place  and  manner  for  materials
 distribution  in  schools.  The  Board  added  limitations  in  the  revised  policy  to
 minimize  the  time  that  school  staff  spends  distributing  the  materials.   


In  general,  the  revised  Policy  KF  states:   

            • Materials  to  be  distributed  or  displayed  in  schools  must  be  submitted  in
 advance  for  review  by  the  School  Division's  Executive  Director  of  Support  Services.   

            • Schools  can  distribute  or  display  communications  from  school-related,
 governmental  or  outside  organizations  that  promote  youth  programs,  activities  or  events
 that  aim  to  improve  the  health,  education  or  welfare  of  students.

            •   The  distribution  of  materials  by  political  campaigns  and  by  commercial
 for-profit  organizations  is  generally  prohibited.

            • Outside  organizations  are  required  to  include  the  following  disclaimer:
 Albemarle  County  Public  Schools  neither  endorses  nor  sponsors  the  organization  or
 activity  represented  in  this  material.  The  distribution  or  display  of  this  material
 is  provided  as  a  community  service  and  is  not  printed  at  taxpayer's  expense. 



Organizations  that  receive  School  Division  approval  to  distribute  materials  in  the
 schools  also  must  meet  a  series  of  requirements  such  as  how  and  when  the  materials
 are  provided  to  schools.  Organizations  are  also  subject  to  certain  guidelines  for  the
 appropriate  process  for  distributing  these  materials.  Starting  in  January  2007,  a
 limit  of  two  flyers  per  organization,  per  semester  will  take  effect.   

  

The  Albemarle  County  Public  Schools  received  97  requests  to  distribute  flyers  to
 students  in  the  2005-06  school  year.  Each  request  was  evaluated  under  the  former
 policy  and  either  approved  or  denied.  This  school  year,  flyer  requests  are  evaluated
 under  the  new  Board  policy  and  applicable  guidelines.  School  Board  Policy  KF  can  be
 viewed  on  the  Division  website  at  www.k12albemarle.org  under  the School  Board link.
  The  policy  also  can  be  obtained  by  calling  the  School  Board  Office  at  (434)
 972-4055.  The  School  Board  is  monitoring  the  impact  of  the  new  policy  in  the  County
 schools  and  has  the  option  to  review  and  revise  the  policy  in  the  future.   

  

Parents  and  community  members  who  would  like  to  share  input  on  this  policy  can  put
 their  comments  in  writing  and  direct  them  to the  School  Board  Clerk  by  e-mail  at  
jjohnston at k12albemarle.org.  Comments  also  can  be  sent  by  U.S.  Mail  to  the  Albemarle
 County  School  Board  Office,  401  McIntire  Road,  Charlottesville,  VA  22902.  The  Clerk
 will  share  all  comments  received  with  the  School  Board.   


Should  you  have  additional  questions  about  Policy  KF,  please  contact  your  school
 principal  or  the  School  Division's  Administrative  and  Support  Services  Office  at  (434)
 296-5877.   

  

Sincerely,   

Dr.  Pamela  R.  Moran  

Superintendent   

  

  

 



 
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