The student council provides for student activities, serves as a training experience for student leaders, promotes the common good, gives students a share in the management of the school, develops high ideals of personal conduct, acts as a clearinghouse for student activities, seeks to interest students in school district affairs and helps solve problems that may arise.  Members of the council are student representatives who have direct access to the administration.

The principal, in conjunction with the students and licensed employees, will set forth the guidelines for the student government's elections, operations, and other elements of the government.

Legal Reference:  Iowa Code § 279.8

Cross Reference:  502                                    Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                       504                                    Student Activities

Approved     1/18/21                              
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

Secondary school student-initiated, noncurriculum-related groups and student curriculum-related groups, upon receiving permission from the principal, may use school facilities for group meetings during non-instructional time.

Non-instructional time will mean any time before the first period of the day and after the last period of the day in which any student attends class.  Meetings will not interfere with the orderly conduct of the education program or other school district operations.  It is within the discretion of the principal to determine whether the meetings will interfere with the orderly conduct of the education program or other school district operations.  Activities relating to and part of the education program will have priority over the activities of another organization.

Curriculum-Related Organizations

It will also be the responsibility of the principal to determine whether a student group is curriculum-related.  One or more of the following questions will be answered affirmatively if the group is curriculum-related:

        ∙        Is the subject matter of the group actually taught in a regularly offered course?

        ∙        Will the subject matter of the group soon be taught in a regularly offered course?

        ∙        Does the subject matter of the group concern the body of courses as a whole?

        ∙        Is participation in the group required for a particular course?

        ∙        Does participation in the group result in academic credit?

Secondary school curriculum-related student organizations may use the school district facilities for meetings and other purposes before and after the instructional school day.  Employees are assigned to monitor approved meetings and may interact with curriculum-related organizations.

Noncurriculum-Related Organizations

Student-initiated, noncurriculum-related organizations are provided access to meeting space and school district facilities.

Only students may attend and participate in meetings of noncurriculum-related groups.  Such attendance is strictly voluntary and student-initiated.  As a means of determining whether a student's attendance is voluntary, the principal may require parental consent for the student to attend the meetings.

Employees will be assigned to monitor approved meetings.  Employees will not participate in the meeting or assist in planning, criticizing, or encouraging attendance.  Only students may be involved in and attend the noncurriculum group's meetings.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference:  Westside Community Board of Education v Mergens, 496 U.S. 226 (1990).
                                       Bender v. Williamsport Area Community School District, 741 F.2d 538 (3d Cir. 1984), vacated and remanded on other grounds, 475 U.S. 534 (1986).
                                       20 U.S.C. §§ 4071-4074
                                       Iowa Code §§ 287; 297.9.

Cross Reference:  502     Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                        504     Student Activities

Approved    1/18/21                               
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

Students may produce official school publications as part of the curriculum under the supervision of a faculty advisor and the principal.  Official school publications include material produced in the journalism, newspaper, yearbook, or writing classes and distributed to the student body either free or for a fee.

Any expression made by students, including student expression in official school publications, is not an expression of official school policy.  The school district, the board, and the employees or officials are not liable in any civil or criminal action for any student expression made or published by students unless the employees or officials have interfered with or altered the content of the student speech or expression.  The liability, if any, is only to the extent of the interference or alteration of the speech or expression.

Official school publications are free from prior restraint by employees or officials except as provided by law.  A faculty advisor will supervise student writers to maintain professional standards of English and journalism and to comply with the law including, but not limited to, the restrictions against unlawful speech.  The production of official school publications is guided by the law and by the ethical standards adopted by professional associations or societies of journalism.

Persons, other than students, who believe they have been aggrieved by student expression in a student-produced official school publication will follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 213.1.  Students who believe their freedom of expression in a student-produced official school publication has been restricted will follow the grievance procedure outlined in board policy 502.4.

The superintendent is responsible for developing a student publications code.  This code will include, but not be limited to, reasonable rules including time, place, and manner of restrictions.  The superintendent will also be responsible for distributing this policy and the student publications code to the students and their parents.

Legal Reference:  Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988).
                                       Bystrom v. Fridley High School, 822 F.2d 747 (8th Cir. 1987).
                                       Iowa Code § 280.22

Cross Reference:  309                                    Communication Channels
                                       502                                    Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                       504                                    Student Activities
                                       903.5                                Distribution of Material

Approved      1/18/21                             
Reviewed                                                                               
Revised                   

Students, as part of the education program, may participate in contests or other public and private events approved by the superintendent that will be of benefit to the student and the education program.  Performance at such events is a privilege.

Students, who perform at such events, serve as ambassadors of the school district and must conduct themselves in the same manner as required in the regular school day.  Students who fail to abide by this policy and the administrative regulations supporting it may be subject to disciplinary measures. 

Students will be allowed to perform in these events only with proper permission and supervision and when the events do not disrupt the education program or other school district operations.  The events must be approved by the superintendent, unless it involves unusual travel and expense, in which case the board must approve of the performance.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy. In developing the administrative regulations, these guidelines should be followed:

∙    Performances by student groups below the high school level should be allowed on a very limited basis;

∙    All groups of students should have an opportunity to participate; and

∙    Extensive travel by one group of students should be discouraged.

It is within the discretion of the superintendent to determine whether the event will benefit the education program and the participating students.  Contests or other performances by students unapproved by the superintendent are the responsibility of the parent and the student.

Legal Reference:  Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988).
                                      Iowa Code §§ 280.13-.14.
                                      281 I.A.C. 12.6.

Cross Reference:  502   Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                       503.4  Good Conduct Rule
                                       504     Student Activities
                                       904     Community Activities Involving Students

Approved    1/18/21                   
Reviewed                               
Revised                   

Students may raise funds for school-sponsored events with the permission of the principal.  Fund raising by students for events other than school-sponsored events is not allowed.  Collection boxes for school fundraising must have prior approval from the principal before being placed on school property.

All funds generated from district-sponsored student fundraising will be placed in the district’s student activity fund.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference:  Senior Class of Pekin High School v. Tharp, 154 N.W.2d 874 (Iowa 1967).
                                       Iowa Code § 279.8

Cross Reference:  502                                    Student Rights and Responsibilities
                                       503                                    Student Discipline
                                       504                                    Student Activities
                                       704.5                                Student Activities Fund
                                       905.2                                Advertising and Promotion

Approved      1/18/21                                                
Reviewed    7/18/22        
Revised   7/18/22