After a lawsuit between the Albemarle School Board and Liberty Counsel, a conservative Christian rights advocacy group, the School Board changed a policy that prohibited religiously oriented flyers in schools. Now, a debate about which flyers to allow has schools weighing their role as community centers versus protective educational environments. A board meeting on Thursday, September 14, could have decided the schools’ final policy, but board members deferred a decision and will investigate further options.
The two options: allow flyers from all nonprofit organizations, such as flyers for activities like vacation Bible camps (the flyer in contention in the lawsuit), or allow flyers only from government agencies, restricting almost all information outside of school-related material.
Principals are in favor of the more limited option, which would save time. While copying costs fall on the individual distributors, teachers must spend time bundling and handing out flyers. An onslaught of flyers could also inhibit learning, some worry.
But School Board members have been reluctant to clamp down on all materials. School Board member Brian Wheeler, for instance, has said on his blog (www.school matters.typepad.com) that he is in favor of option 1, which would treat schools more like community centers. (Flyers from outside the school system would include a disclaimer about their source.)
Diane Behrens, director of support and planning services for the schools, said she found that, of 14 local school divisions, none allows unfettered flyering.
The problem is: how to restrict some flyers without restricting all information from nonprofit groups? The issue was on the agenda “for information” for a second time, so it’s not surprising that little action was taken. The board will vote after looking into other options. For now, the policy stands: If you’re a nonprofit, flyer away.
Categories