General Administration AP 154: Political Electioneering

Background

The political election process in Alberta and Canada normally occurs every four to five (4 to 5) years. Schools are sometimes subject to solicitations from politicians and aspiring politicians.

Schools and school property are environments dedicated primarily for approved educational purposes. Political campaigns and advertising are considered activities that generally fall outside the approved curriculum. Principals must ensure that political representations in schools and on school property be confined to school visits that fit within the approved curriculum or be restricted to venues and/or times outside the regular instructional environment.

Procedures

1. Campaigning in Division schools by individual candidates or parties for municipal, school board, provincial, or federal elections is prohibited except that:
   1. Schools may organize all-candidate forums or assemblies for educational purposes, provided the attendance is by invitation and voluntary and all parties are given equal opportunity; and
   2. School space may be rented after hours by a candidate or party on a commercial use basis.
2. The posting or distribution of campaign materials associated with elections on lands or within buildings owned by the Division is prohibited, except that campaign materials may be:
   1. Posted and distributed in that portion of a school rented for a campaign meeting or being used for an all-candidates forum; however, all political materials must be removed from school premises at the end of any such meeting;
   2. Used as classroom teaching resources on the condition that support for an individual candidate or political party is not solicited; and
   3. Posted regarding school board elections as directed by the Board.
3. Political campaign materials and political literature in general may not be distributed through the school or sent home to parents although it may be used directly with those students attending meetings described in section 1 above.
4. Campaign literature may be placed in staff rooms but the venue is considered inappropriate for other forms of campaigning.
5. The Principal shall report to the Superintendent any unusual circumstances that may originate from these procedures.
6. The Superintendent may be requested to rule on extraordinary requests within the parameters of these administrative procedures. Any such occurrence will be reported to the Board as information.