HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 Report 07-143 Election Activities Policy
26 September 2007
Report No. 07-143 to Chairs’ Committee
Re: Election Activities Policy
ORIGINATORS: Diane-Jeudy Hugo, Executive Superintendent
PURPOSE:
1. To seek approval for new Policy P.122.SCO: Election Activities, attached for reference as.
Annex I.
BACKGROUND:
2. During the municipal elections held in November 2006, administrative guidelines were issued to
principals to provide parameters for managing requests for access to schools and school council
meetings and to outline acceptable practice in schools during election campaigning.
3. Feedback with respect to the guidelines indicated the need for the development of a policy
statement around this issue. Although the original guidelines governed only municipal elections,
most feedback was generalized to elections in general and provided consultation and advice to
staff on the development of general policy in this area regarding election activities.
CONSULTATION:
4. Input was obtained from OCASC, school council chairs, principals and trustees before
the development of the policy statement. All groups were asked to respond to a number of
questions requesting feedback on the previously issued guidelines and any other issues that
should be considered in the development of policy. The first memorandum was issued in
February 2007, and a follow up opportunity for feedback was issued in late March 2007.
Twenty-four replies were received; one from OCASC, one from ASAC, nine from school
councils, eleven from principals and two from trustees.
STATUS:
5. There was significant congruence in the responses to a number of matters. Almost all replies
spoke of the need to provide equal access for candidates to attend all candidates’ meetings (as
opportunities extended by school councils). While there was some difference of opinion on how
to proceed with these meetings (where a candidate does not respond, etc.), there seemed to be
agreement that individual school councils could best decide how to proceed (or not to proceed
where there was no will on the part of council to entertain an all candidates’ meetings).
6. There was also agreement that the distribution of any election material should not be through
students or schools. Access to classrooms for partisan purposes was not supported but there was
support for using the election to provide learning opportunities for students (such as all
candidates’ meetings for older students).
7. The issue of endorsement did provide some differing points of view. Most responses
from school councils and principals agreed that while individual constituents could lend their
support to candidates, school councils and the Board (as a formal entity) should not allow their
name to be used to endorse a particular candidate. Two responses from school councils stated
that school councils should not be limited in their activities by Board policy or procedural
direction and should be able to endorse a candidate.
8. Principals on the whole preferred to maintain a neutral role in regard to school councils’ chosen
election activities.
9. Currently, if a local community chooses to hold an all candidates’ meeting and requires the use of
a school to do so, application is made through Community Use of Schools and a preferred rate is
charged. Political party meetings are also booked through Community Use of Schools at the
regular user rates. A review of Community Use user rates is scheduled to begin in the fall and
this issue can be reviewed within that context.
10. Many of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board schools are used as polling stations for
elections. The Board and the governing elections body work closely together to identify sites and
provide working guidelines for access on Election Day to provide a safe environment for all.
11. Election signage at polling stations on the day of the election is dictated by the Elections Act.
Signage at schools during the regular school day was not supported in the responses but there was
a will to look at temporary signage before at political meetings where a school had been leased
through Community Use of Schools.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
12. None at this time.
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Policy P.122.SCO: Election Activities, as attached at Annex I, be approved.
__________________________________
Lorne M. Rachlis Diane Jeudy-Hugo
Director of Education/ Secretary of the Board Executive Superintendent
- - PR.122.SCO
POLICY P.122.SCO
TITLE: ELECTION ACTIVITIES
Date issued: October
Last revised:
Authorization: Board:
1.0 OBJECTIVE
To provide a framework to manage political activity tied to municipal, provincial and federal
elections or by-elections.
2:0 DEFINITIONS
2.1 For the purpose of this policy, the term election is defined as any municipal, provincial or
federal election or by-election.
2.2 The term incumbent refers to any person who has been elected or appointed to hold any
municipal, provincial or federal office office.
2.3 The term candidate refers to any person registered to run in an election as defined above.
3.0 POLICY
3.1 The Board believes that election processes can provide a rich opportunity for students to
learn about the democratic process. Schools shall use these opportunities for enhancing
curriculum delivery wherever appropriate.
(a) Community service hours for secondary diploma requirements may be
accumulated for work on a political campaign if the work occurs outside of
regular school hours.
3.2 Incumbent municipal, provincial and federal members may visit schools in their own
riding or zone at any time in the course of their regular constituency duties. These types
of duties include ceremonial duties (i.e. school openings, award ceremonies) and those
activities that an incumbent would attend during a time of non-election campaigning.
Advance notice of those visits to the principal shall occur whenever possible. A principal
shall deny access to a school where the visit is deemed to be potentially disruptive to the
school day.
(a) Once an election is called, any candidate, including an incumbent, who requests
access to the school, must clearly state the purpose of the visit to the principal.
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3.3 The principal shall consider access to schools by election candidates only if the access
supplements learning objectives. In this case, fair and equitable access to Board facilities
shall be granted to all under the following conditions:
(a) No political, partisan activities by individual candidates that are part of a election
campaign will take place;
(b) Activities that are approved by the principal should respect equal access for all
candidates and should provide learning opportunities, such as all candidates’
debates;
(c) The use of board materials, equipment and property shall not be used for political
purposes;
(d) The use of students or board delivery services to distribute materials that openly
lobby for a political party or candidate is not permitted;
(e) Access to Board facilities beyond the times that would be ordinarily managed by
the school shall be subject to the Community Use of School Facilities Policy.
3.4 School Councils, in consultation with their school communities, shall determine the need
and nature of the meetings that they sponsor with political candidates. Where school
councils choose to provide access for candidates, fair and equitable access shall be
provided to all candidates.
3.5 Principals, staff, school councils and trustees shall not endorse a candidate or political
party while undertaking their representative duties as an agent or employee of the Board.
3.6 Personal information regarding students, parents and employees will not be provided to
any candidates, their staff or volunteers. Any information that is in the public domain
should be provided by means of the regular requests for information.
4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Board Policy P.014.SCO: School Councils
Board Policy P.046.SCO: School Communications: Distribution of Materials Via Students
Board Policy P.012.CON Community Use of School Facilities
Board Procedure PR.507.CON Community Use of School Facilities
- - PR.122.SCO - 2 -