UPDATE: School Board Candidate’s Campaign Violates Policy
According to the email, which was sent by Jefferson School Principal David Robertson, he was asked about the policies for candidates handing out campaign materials. In his response he noted, ” I was able to check our Board Policy to see if it speaks to this issue; which it does. So, I thought I’d better remind all of us, me included, of what our board policy states and ask that you follow the policy.”
School Policy 3231 states: “Staff members shall not campaign on school property during duty hours on behalf of any political issue or candidate for local, state, or National office except on election day at election polls on school property.”
Robertson wrote, “The first policy listed just makes clear that no staff member is to campaign on school property during duty hours. I haven’t seen any issues with that. The second one speaks specifically to publications or productions which the stickers and pencils would fall under. To be clear, the policy states that no campaigning activities such as signs, stickers, etc. are to be on school grounds.”
Gale and Polston are vying for the District 4 seat.
WCS Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz responded, “There is nothing to suggest that any candidate violated this Board policy, but supporters of candidate Christie Gale distributed items such as stickers and pencils in support of their candidate through students at Jefferson Elementary School. When Mrs. Gale learned of these activities she asked her supporters to limit their support of her candidacy to off duty time and to not enlist students to distribute campaign materials at school.”
Gale also responded late Thursday night saying, “Yesterday evening I was made aware of a possible policy violation of campaign materials being distributed in the schools. At no time did I distribute to students within the schools any stickers or pencils, however, some students were handing them out to their friends in the classroom. I immediately communicated to the parents that distribution of such materials in the schools was not allowed.
“Their enthusiasm in supporting me has been greatly appreciated and they have all been very understanding.”
