Requests by individuals or groups to distribute pamphlets, booklets, flyers, brochures and other similar materials to students for classroom use or to take home shall be submitted to the building principal. Materials and the proposed method of distribution shall be subject to review and approval.
The primary factor in decisions regarding the possible distribution of materials shall be the educational benefit to the student based on the curriculum goals of the district. Such concerns include: the material is or may be defamatory; the material is inappropriate based on the age, grade level and/or maturity of the reading audience; the material is poorly written, inadequately researched, biased or prejudiced; the material contains information that is not factual; the material contains negative racial, ethnic, religious or sexual bias; or the material contains advertising that violates public school laws, rules and/or policy, is deemed inappropriate for students or that the public might reasonably perceive to bear the sanction or approval of the district.
Religious materials or materials promoting religious meetings shall not be distributed in schools.
Principals are the final authority for the public in deciding if and how materials will be distributed. Principals may refer requests to distribute materials to other district schools to the superintendent, who will forward approved materials to the schools with a cover sheet with a recommendation for distribution if appropriate.
Distribution procedures may include:
1. Distribution to each student before or after class if materials are not directly related to the instructional goals;
2. Notification to students or parents of the availability of the materials in a specified location if this procedure is deemed less disruptive to the educational process; or
3. Solicitation by school-related groups such as parent organizations to distribute materials.
The practice of distributing pamphlets, booklets, flyers, brochures and other similar materials shall be periodically reviewed to ensure that the volume of requests has not become an interruption to the educational process.
END OF POLICY
46 Op Atty Gen 239 (1989).