BHC Board Member Political Activity

                                                                                                Board Policy Manual
                                                                                        DeKalb County School District




 Board Policy BHC: Board Member Political Activity                                                          Status: ADOPTED

 Original Adopted Date: 06/13/2011 | Last Reviewed Date: 06/13/2011


The DeKalb County Board of Education recognizes that Board members have the right as individuals to engage in
political activities, express opinions on political issues, support candidates running for elective public office, and
campaign for their own election or reelection as Board members. Board members also have the responsibility to
uphold the public trust and to avoid allowing their political activities to interfere or conflict with their service on the
Board or with the best interests of the District.
To avoid any such conflict or interference, each Board member shall comply with the terms of this policy. It is the
Board’s hope that candidates for Board office likewise will comply with this policy.
   1. Board members shall take every reasonable step to differentiate between their activities as private individuals
      and their activities as members of the Board of Education.

   2. Board members shall not use school facilities for campaign functions or activities, except to the extent such
      use is consistent with the Use of School Facilities Policy, Descriptor Code KG, and this policy. Political
      materials may be displayed and distributed at such functions, provided the materials are removed from the
      facility when the activity ends.
   3. Except as provided in paragraph 2 above, Board members shall not campaign or solicit votes or campaign
      contributions on their own behalf or on behalf of any other candidate while on District property.
   4. Board members shall not use District personnel, equipment, supplies, computer networks, websites, mailing
      lists, email lists, newsletters, flyers, or other District resources to support, oppose, or attempt to influence
      voters on a ballot question or candidate, including a Board member’s own candidacy, except to the extent such
      use is consistent with the Use of School Facilities Policy, Descriptor Code KG, and this policy.

   5. Board members shall not provide, or promise to provide, any work-related advantage to an employee of the
      District in exchange for the employee’s support of the Board member’s candidacy or any other candidate for
      elected office.
   6. Board members shall not use, or attempt to use, their position as a Board member to pressure any employee or
      other individual to support the Board member’s candidacy or any other candidate for elected office.

   7. Board members shall not use any portion of a Board meeting, Board committee meeting, or official Board
      function to campaign or to solicit votes or campaign contributions on their own behalf or on behalf of any
      other candidate.
   8. Board members shall not solicit or accept, or knowingly allow any member of their immediate family or any
      business organization in which they are associated to solicit or accept, any political contribution based upon an
      understanding that the contribution was given or offered for the purpose of influencing that Board member in
      the discharge of his or her official duties. This provision does not apply to the solicitation or acceptance of
      campaign contributions by a Board member who has announced that he or she is a candidate for Board office
      if the Board member has no knowledge or reason to believe that the campaign contribution, if accepted, was
      given with the intent to influence the Board member in the discharge of his or her official duties.
   9. Board members may participate in mock elections or other mock political activities that are part of a school’s
      instructional program, provided the activity is not in support of the Board member’s own candidacy for elected
      office.
 10. Board members participating in school-sponsored functions that feature candidates for elected office shall not
     attempt to have the function structured in such a manner as to provide the Board member an advantage over
     other candidates.
 11. Board members shall not display political advertisements or campaign materials on their person or apparel
     while on District property or while engaging in official Board business. Board members may have bumper
    stickers and other political advertising on their vehicles when parked on District property.
12. This policy shall be enforced in the manner set out in the Board Member Code of Ethics Policy, Descriptor
    Code BH, Paragraph F.