KJA - Materials Distribution**
Policy KJA
The district allows the distribution and posting of certain material by non-school organizations. The district does not endorse any event, service or point of view contained in the information it distributes to students through this policy. The district encourages parents to assist their children in making choices appropriate for them.
Requests by individuals or groups to distribute pamphlets, booklets, flyers, brochures, signage and other similar material to students for classroom use or to take home shall be submitted to the Communications and Community Involvement Department. The material and the proposed method of distribution or posting, shall be subject to staff review and approval. The material submitted for review must offer educational and/or extracurricular learning opportunities for students, families and/or staff.
There shall be no posting or distribution of material that: is obscene, indecent or vulgar; advocates illegal activities, violence, gangs or hate; contains libelous or defamatory information; discriminates or contains bias toward an individual’s age, race, sex, gender expression, gender identity, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic identity; is likely to cause substantial disruption of the education of students in the school in which the material is posted or distributed; promotes, favors or opposes a candidate for elected office or a ballot measure; advocates or prohibits religion or a particular religious viewpoint through proselytization.
The superintendent will develop an administrative regulation to implement this policy. The regulation will address, among other criteria, the requirements of the review and approval process to post and/or distribute material in the district.
ORS 332.107
46 Or. Atty. Gen. Op. 239 (1989).
GBI - Gifts and Solicitations
KJA-AR
The Beaverton School District and its schools review materials distribution requests from internal, community-based, nonprofit and for-profit organizations on an ongoing basis during the school year. Materials submitted for review must offer educational and/or extra-curricular learning opportunities for children, families and/or staff.
Commercial advertising is not permitted unless specifically indicated by this administrative rule.
Requirements for Materials
Materials accepted for distribution or display must not:
- Be obscene, indecent or vulgar
- Advocate illegal activities, violence or hate
- Contain libelous or defamatory information
- Discriminate or contain bias toward an individual’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic identity
- Be likely to cause substantial disruption of or material interference with discipline or the education of students in the school in which the material is posted or distributed
- Promote, favor or oppose a candidate for elected office or a ballot measure
- Advocate religion or a particular faith or religious viewpoint through proselytization
Types of Materials Distribution or Display
The District allows the following types of distribution or display for approved materials, depending on the requesting party’s classification (discussed later in this administrative rule).
- Student distribution: Hard copies of approved materials may be given directly to students, distributed at school events or included in registration packets. Because of its environmental impact, this distribution method is discouraged.
- Staff distribution: Approved materials may be distributed electronically or posted in staff lounges in school buildings.
- Interior school display area: Approved materials may be placed on a designated bulletin board in school buildings.
- Exterior school display area: Signs, posters and/or banners may be placed on school property and visible from the street if they are:
- National and state flags
- District or school-specific announcement signs
- School monument signs and reader boards
- Beaverton Education Foundation (BEF) campaign-size signs
- Sponsorship signs/banners placed within sports fields or on school fencing
- Any unauthorized signage installed or placed on district-owned property will be declared a trespass, removed and disposed of by the District.
- District website: Approved materials may be included on the After-school Activities webpage, managed by Communications & Community Involvement (CCI).
- Electronic distribution: Approved materials may be sent or displayed
- In school/district e-newsletters
- On school/district social media accounts
- On school/district ParentSquare accounts
Classifications of Materials
The District receives numerous requests to distribute materials. The following rules are in place so as not to overwhelm our families and staff with information. Please pay close attention to the description of each requesting party classification.
Materials Reviewed by Administrators
- Materials created by school staff for internal class or school-wide distribution
- Materials created by a school-sponsored club, organization or team. Example: drama club, National Honor Society, high school sports team
- Materials created by a school-affiliated club, organization or team. Example: high school club sports team (i.e. lacrosse, ski), PTO/PTC
- Materials created by an organization designated as part of a school’s or department’s Community Partnership Team. Example: a partnering church offering a soccer camp for the school’s students or a partnering nonprofit offering English classes to non-English speaking parents
Materials Reviewed by Communications & Community Involvement (CCI)
1. Materials created by a feeder school, feeder school-sponsored organization or a feeder school-affiliated organization. Example: high school sports team holding a summer camp for elementary school students
2. Materials created by an organization with a contract or memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the district, district department or school. Example: on-site child care service, REAP, Virginia Garcia, Adelante Mujeres
3. Materials created by a taxpayer-funded agency. Example: City of Beaverton, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (but excluding THPRD affiliates), Portland Community College (PCC), Washington County, Washington County Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS)
4. Materials created by a non-profit organization with Facility Use approval. Example: nonprofit offering after-school activity in a school
5. Materials created by a for-profit organization with Facility Use approval. Example: OMSI offering after-school activity in a school
Approval Process
Materials Reviewed by Administrators
- Materials should be submitted to the administrator for approval at least two weeks in advance, if possible, and only during the school year.
- Materials submitted for review must offer or support educational and/or extra-curricular learning opportunities for children, families and/or staff.
- Materials submitted by school-affiliated organizations or school/department Community Partnership Team members (see above examples) must include the following disclaimer at the bottom of the materials: “The Beaverton School District does not sponsor or endorse the activities and/or information contained in this material.”
- Approved materials can be distributed in the following ways at the discretion of the administrator:
- Student distribution
- Staff distribution
- Interior school display area
- Exterior school display area
- Electronic distribution
- After-school activities taking place at a school that are operated by nonprofit or for-profit organizations with Facility Use approval must be approved by Communications & Community Involvement (CCI), not the school.
- Approved materials are valid for the duration of the class/activity being offered. Schools and departments should regularly delete or remove dated materials.
Materials Reviewed by Communications & Community Involvement (CCI)
- Materials should be submitted to CCI for approval at least two weeks in advance and only during the school year.
- Requesters must complete the Flyer & Materials Distribution Request form on the Flyer & Materials Distribution webpage on the district website.
- Materials submitted for review must offer or support educational and/or extra-curricular learning opportunities for children, families and/or staff.
- For those materials that will appear on the district website, a final pdf version of the materials must be reviewed for ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliance. Guidelines can be found on the Flyer & Materials Distribution Review webpage on the district website.
- All materials submitted for review by CCI must include this disclaimer: “The Beaverton School District does not sponsor or endorse the activities and/or information contained in this material.”
- Approved materials can be distributed in the following ways at the discretion of CCI::
-
- Student distribution
- Staff distribution
- Interior school display area
- Exterior school display area
- District website
- Electronic distribution
- CCI will provide schools with a monthly reminder of approved flyers posted to the After-school Activities webpage on the district website.
- Approved materials are valid for the duration of the class/activity being offered. CCI should regularly delete or remove dated materials.
Notice to Parents/Guardians from School Administrators
At the beginning of each school year, each school shall inform families (either in the school newsletter or by some other means) that they may receive information from non-school sponsored community groups. The notice shall consist of the following statement:
Throughout the school year, the District may share materials from various organizations in our community that offer or support educational and/or extra-curricular opportunities for your student and/or family. These materials may be shared via school/district communication channels and/or posted on the district’s After-school Activities webpage. All materials are reviewed by Communications & Community Involvement prior to distribution. Beaverton School District does not discriminate against any community member or organization on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, veteran status or because of a perceived or actual association with any other persons within these protected classes. The District does not sponsor or endorse the activities or information contained in these materials.
Notice of Non-Discrimination
The United States Constitution requires schools to respect the right of all external organizations to distribute materials to students at school if the school district permits any such organization to distribute materials. Accordingly, the District cannot discriminate among groups wishing to distribute materials at school and does not endorse the content of any materials distributed at school.