Constitution treading? Constitution treading? (April 09, 2004)

Policy tries to draw free-speech lines as it keeps politics off campus
by Teresa C. Brown

"This is a draconian policy," said Sonya Howes, president of the Association of Pleasanton Teachers, in response to the first draft reading of a school district policy governing employees' political activity on campus.

Walking the fine line of First Amendment rights, the school board trustees debated the draft of revisions to Policy 4231 during their regular board meeting Tuesday. The draft outlined restrictions preventing employees from wearing political buttons while teaching students and distributing campaign information and material through the district mail and e-mail system.

Superintendent John Casey explained that the policy revisions deal with issues that were brought up during the election in November, in which Trustee Steven Pulido was elected, and Kris Weaver and Juanita Haugen were re-elected.

"I dealt with 20 to 25 issues in this election," Casey said. "We're not trying to take sides, but I've got to have something here to hang my hat on."

"We are singling out employees of the district like we've singled out no one else," said Trustee Steve Pulido. "I don't know of any other group that has such restrictions."

"We're not trying to stop communication," said Casey, "but not anything goes."

"I'm fine with the policy as written right now," said Trustee Pat Kernan. He added that while he respected First Amendment rights, he also wanted to hear comments from the public, but not during an election.

"We are your greatest assets," Howes told the trustees, echoing John Nix, a Foothill teacher who spoke against the policy at the meeting.

"Certainly you wouldn't want to keep us in the dark," said Nix. "E-mail is a way to communicate with each other."

Howes added that teachers help pass propositions and bonds. "Be careful what you put in the policy," she said, explaining that it affects what the teachers can do for the district.

The draft also prohibits school personnel and the general public from placing political signs on school property, including on the outside of a vehicle, except for bumper stickers.

Haugen posed rhetorical questions, asking if signs inside vehicles were also prohibited and if campaign materials were enclosed inside envelopes, would it still be an issue?

Board President Gloria Fredette recalled how the late Carlos Bee, an assemblyman, came into her 1967 senior class. "He was one of the reasons why I got interested in politics," she said. She cautioned that she did not want to see children being used as political pawns, but added that the policy may be "treading on the Constitution."

"In my mind it's not an attack on the union," Weaver said, adding that Pulido made a number of good points. "I think we need to preserve people's rights and at the same time property, owned by the people, for the people, is not used for political purposes."

A second revision of the policy will be brought back to the board on May 11, Casey told the trustees.

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