A decision to ask certain persons to leave last month’s Senior Expo at Suttons Bay School was questioned at this week’s monthly meeting of the Suttons Bay School Board.
The June 18 event brought together hundreds of seniors to connect with the community and business vendors — along with plenty of political debate that led to parties being asked to leave the event.
The decision to have party members exit the building was made based on policy 9700 which states that school facilities or equipment “may not be used as a means of producing or disseminating to the community any material that advertise or promote a political party, political cause, or the candidacy of an individual for public office. Students and employees of the (district) shall not be used to distribute campaign literature on school grounds.”
At the time of the incident, Superintendent Casey Petz was not present. The decision to trespass the political organizers was made consultation with staff on the scene.
“Where are we going to vote this fall if you can’t have election stuff,” said David Kiessel, one of a handful of persons who questioned the policy.
Harry Steffens, who long ago graduated from Leland Public School, also questioned the rule.
“When I was in school it was a place of learning. You’d talk to an list to all sides to make an informed decision,” he said. “I believe the (policy) is unconstitutional.”
All county schools contract with an Ohio-based organization, NEOLA, to update their policies. Before the language is sent it undergoes legal review and is reviewed again by the district’s legal counsel before adoption, Petz said.
