KIB – Special Interest Materials Distribution

Descriptor Code: KIB
Special Interest Materials Distribution

GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS MATERIALS DISTRIBUTION IN SCHOOLS
Cherokee County Board of Education recognizes students/employees of the School District are to be protected from intrusions on their time while on school and/or district premises by announcement, posters, bulletins, surveys, evaluations, questionnaires and communications of any kind from individuals and organizations not directly connected with the schools.
1. Third parties to the School District are hereby expressly disallowed from distributing in any manner or fashion, regardless of the time of day, literature of any form on school and/or School District premises and/or using School District email accounts that is intended or may be seen by students/employees. Employees of the School District may not aid or assist; nor may they permit the distribution of third party literature to students/employees.
2. The purpose of the system’s inter-school mail delivery system and the existence of teachers’ mailboxes at local schools/district premises is for the dissemination of School District generated communications or for U.S. mail delivered to an employee using the school address.
3. The use of the internal communications system including School District email accounts by organizations, salespersons, vendors, politicians, promoters of special causes or other individual citizens is not permitted. Only the School District, the school, its PTA or other school-allied entity (e.g., School Council, School Booster Club) may distribute its organization’s information directly to students and/or employees.
4. Recognizing that there are many worthwhile organizations and activities that can make positive contributions to a child’s overall well-being and success, the School District will maintain a “virtual” community bulletin board on its website for posting of appropriate communications, so that staff, parents and students may access such information as needed. Examples of appropriate communications would include announcements of educational opportunities or educationally related activities or contests sponsored by various non-profit organizations or clubs, announcements of educationally related activities or contests sponsored by private companies when the company identification is secondary or incidental to the educational value of the activity, distribution of free passes when such passes would be directly related to health and wholesome recreation and education, and authorized solicitation for various charity drives, such as United Way. Examples of inappropriate communications would be advertisement of noneducational commercial products or services, promotional materials of educational activities which have excessive entanglements with the sponsoring organization or company, announcements of activities or events which tend to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, or physical handicap, or communications which have, as their primary purpose, the furthering of a  political candidate or political position and communications which advance, sponsor, or inhibit religion, or that foster an excessive government entanglement with religion.
5. Permitted Materials for Posting on the School District Virtual Community Bulletin Board

• A. School District staff will not post literature of a denominational, partisan or sectarian nature in any school. This restriction does not apply to the development and use of the Bible in classes for reference, literary, historical, and other nonreligious purposes.
• B. Business partners and organizations that have entered into written, systemic partnership agreements with the School Board working directly with the schools/School District may have permission from the principal/Superintendent to post information about events which will directly benefit students, employees or the community provided it contains a minimum amount of commercial advertising.
• C. The School District may, with the approval of the Superintendent, cooperate with any governmental agency in promoting activities in the general public interest, provided such activities are nonpartisan and promote the education or best interest of the students.
• D. The School District may cooperate in promoting the work of any non-profit community wide or social service agency provided that such cooperation does not restrict or interfere with the educational program of the schools.

6. Materials Distribution for Internal Employee Communications The schools and School District may disseminate information to employees related to insurance and benefits information, professional development opportunities and School District business communications.
7. Advertisements on Websites, Social Media Platforms, Electronic Newsletters The Superintendent or his designee is authorized to approve paid advertisements by third parties to appear on School District and/or school websites and social media platforms and in electronic newsletters in accordance with Advertiser Guidelines to ensure appropriate content.

ADOPTED: August 2, 2001       REVISED: July 19, 2018

CCSD Administrative Guidelines Regarding Advertising
Pursuant to the School Board’s Special Interest Materials Distribution Policy (KIB), these administrative guidelines are to be utilized by CCSD staff in policy application:

In general, the Cherokee County School District (CCSD) operates its schools as non-public forums. These guidelines do not create, nor are they intended to create, a public or limited public forum.
1. All online and printed publications edited and distributed in the name of CCSD including School District/school websites will be under the control of the Superintendent of Schools or his designee, the Office of Communications.
2. Advertising for CCSD online and printed publications including School District/school websites may be accepted from bona fide business firms or incorporated organizations, subject to the approval of the Office of Communications.
3. The Office of Communications retains the authority to determine the size and location of any advertising.
4. The Office of Communications sets, regularly reviews, and publishes advertising rates.
5. The Superintendent or his designee, the Office of Communications, will not discriminate on the basis of viewpoint in granting or denying advertisements.
6. Restrictions/Prohibitions 
a) CCSD will not permit advertisements to be displayed if the advertiser’s name or other information used in the advertisement contains any of the following or is in violation of any state or federal policies, regulations, laws or statutes:
• Libelous statements, personal attacks or abusive language such as language defaming a person’s character, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, family status, or disability;
• Vulgar, indecent or obscene language;
• Factually inaccurate, misleading or false statements;
• Inappropriate material considering the age of the students in the school;
• Contains information or material incompatible with the educational philosophy of CCSD or the community at large; or

b) Material that encourages the commission of unlawful acts or the violation of the CCSD’s Discipline Code.
CCSD will not permit any advertisement that describes, suggests, promotes or is commonly identified with any product, service, activity or advocacy of a political or partisan issue or statement, which is incompatible with the CCSD’s educational philosophy or the community at large, including, but not limited to, the following products, services or activities:
• Gambling or gambling aids not permitted under School Board policy or state law;
• Tobacco products;
• Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor products;
• Explicit sexual content or sexual overtones;
• Pornography;
• Drug paraphernalia; or,
• Illegal acts or acts illegal for minors.

c) Paid political advertising will not be accepted.

d) Advertising that is inconsistent with federal or state law, or School Board policy, as well as any content CCSD determines has a reasonable likelihood of exposing itself to controversy, litigation, or disruption, will not be accepted.

7. DISCLAIMER: Acceptance of advertising does not constitute CCSD approval or endorsement of any product, service, organization, or issue referenced in the advertising; nor will acceptance of advertising from a vendor determine whether CCSD will purchase goods or services from the vendor through CCSD’s formal procurement process.

Approved: September 2018