Routines/policies/procedures Jamaica 2024-2025

Policy 3-503 Use of School Resources partly refers to using school resources to influence the outcomes of elections. Which of the following are banned from using school resources (choose all that apply)

• No person acting on behalf of the District or any person aiding another person acting on behalf of the District shall spend or use District resources for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. This prohibition is not limited to elections of the District, and includes the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages, social media, e-mail, personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or any other thing of value of the District.

• No employee of the District who is acting as an agent of or working in an official capacity for the District may give pupils written materials to influence the outcome of an election or to advocate support for or opposition to pending or proposed legislation

• No employee of the District or may use the authority of the employee's position to influence the vote or political activities of any subordinate employee.

• The District shall not spend monies for membership in an association that attempts to influence the outcome of an election.

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

Campaign Signs: No campaign signs, banners, stickers or any item that advocates for or against a candidate, recall, initiative, referendum, bond election, budget override or any ballot measure shall be placed in or on District school buildings (including but not limited to playing fields, parking lots, walls and fencing).

• True

• False

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

Political Buttons, T-shirts, etc.: Governing Board members, personnel and others acting on behalf of the District shall not wear political buttons, T-shirts, hats or other items displayed on their persons or apparel that are designed to influence the outcome of an election in a classroom, in any other instructional setting, or at a school-sponsored extracurricular event at which they are supervising or assisting with supervision or organization of the extracurricular event unless preapproved by the building administrator.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Even the administrator cannot approve such a thing.

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

Use of School Mailboxes, E-mail and Telephones: Even if the District permits private use of school mailboxes, telephones or e-mail accounts for some personal use, personnel and Governing Board members may not use these resources to distribute a communication for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. School telephone systems shall not be used as telephone banks for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. E-mails to influence the outcomes of elections may not be generated, distributed or forwarded via a school e-mail account.

• True

• False

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

An employee of the District who is acting as an agent of or working in an official capacity for the District may give students written materials to influence an election or to advocate support for or opposition to pending or proposed legislation regardless of the fact that no District personnel, equipment or resources were used to prepare the materials, but only if it ties into the curriculum.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

At no time can we try to influence an election in any way. If you are teaching about voting, you must be objective and bi-partisan.

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

• Petition Circulation: Persons acting on behalf of the District shall not use District personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or other resources to circulate nomination, recall, or ballot measure petitions or petitions to qualify a political party for ballot status recognition. This does not prohibit individual employees from voluntarily exercising their rights to circulate petitions in their personal capacities on non-duty time:​

• 1. outside the classroom,​

• 2. outside any other instructional setting, or​

• 3. at a school-sponsored extracurricular event as long as they are not supervising or assisting with supervision or organization of the extracurricular event.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

You may not use the copy machines, printers, your district issued computers (even at home) .

True or False referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources.

Persons acting on behalf of the District shall not permit candidates (including but not limited to candidates for the Board) and their representatives to announce their candidacy or advocate their election or the defeat of their opponents in school buildings or on school property, except for times when they are participating in public forums.

• True

• False

Referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources: Which of the following are permitted activities regarding advocacy in a private capacity

• Board members, personnel or others acting on behalf of the District may act as advocates, circulate petitions, and distribute election literature but only as private citizens, during non-duty time outside the classroom or other instructional settings, using their own or other private resources.

• Board members, personnel or others acting on behalf of the District may engage in these activities at school-sponsored extracurricular activities, such as athletic events, only if they are not on duty or supervising or assisting with supervision or organization of the event.

• Personnel must not represent that they are acting on behalf of the District while engaged in activities to influence the outcomes of elections.

Referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources: Which of the following are permitted activities regarding expression of opinions and private vehicles

• Private vehicles with bumper stickers and other electioneering signs or materials relating to an election may be parked on District property by personnel, Board members, parents, and visitors to the school for school-related activities or while voting when the school is used as a polling place.

• Board members, personnel and others acting on behalf of the District or shall refrain from taking any action or making any statement that would suggest that they are acting on behalf of the District.

• Board members, personnel and others acting on behalf of the District, should feel free to express their opinions or preferences on elections outside the classroom or other instructional settings, or at school sponsored extracurricular events, such as athletic events, if they are not on duty or supervising or assisting with supervision or organization of the event. They may wear buttons, place bumper stickers on their cars, wear clothing with political messages, distribute flyers or information, make contributions, talk with neighbors, friends and members of the community, put up or display signs, make speeches and speak to community or civic groups or engage in any other political activity they choose to in non-instructional settings during non-duty time, as long as they are not using District personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or other resources.

• On election day, if the school is a polling place, a vehicle displaying electioneering messages may not be parked within the hundred foot limit designated by election officials.

Answer explanation

it is a 75 foot limit, not 100

Referring to policy 3-503.A Use of school resources. True/False:

The District may conduct nonpartisan activities designed to encourage individuals to register to vote and make voter registration forms available on District property if it regularly does so throughout the year.​

• True

• False