The Cobb County School District (District) recognizes concerns for the welfare of students from their entry on a school bus or school property to their return to the bus stop or when they leave school property. Part of that goal is that students and staff are not distracted from the task of learning by the presence on campus of unauthorized individuals.

Further, the District recognizes that public schools exist for the educational benefit of students. Therefore, revenues generated through commercial advertising on school campuses shall be used to help defray the cost of extracurricular and interscholastic participation for students.

RULE:

A. SOLICITATION ON SCHOOL PROPERTY:
    No person, firm, corporation, or business shall enter upon school property for any

    purpose of selling, trading, or bartering merchandise of any kind to a student, employee,

    school club or student organization, nor shall any of the above enter upon school

    property for the purpose of soliciting money from a student, employee, school club or

    student organization for any purpose other than approved exceptions. The following

    exceptions may be permitted when approved by the Principal unless additional approval

    is required in the provisions below:

    1. Fundraisers as permitted in Administrative Rule JJE (Fund-Raising Activities);

    2. Sales of approved lunchroom food service vendors;
    3. Sale of class rings;
    4. Sale of graduation paraphernalia;
    5. Agents representing vendors that provide Board of Education approved

        employee benefits;
    6. Vendors who the Principal invites to the school to demonstrate merchandise that the

        school is considering for purchase;
    7. Partners in Education educational programs and activities;
    8. Programs and/or activities for employees including those conducted by

        employees; and
    9. Vendors providing services for which the school has entered into a contractual or

        purchasing agreement.  

B. ADVERTISING:
    1. All Schools:

        a. Unsolicited Materials:

            Unsolicited materials and/or products provided for distribution to students:
            (1) For-Profit Companies, Private Entities, 501 (c)(3) Entities, and Other

                  Organizations:
                 (a) Neither materials nor products may be distributed directly to students

                      through the schools.
                 (b) If approved by the District Communications Office, such materials may be
                      distributed to schools and placed on display in school offices or lobbies at the
                      discretion of the Principal.
            (2) Public Government Agencies:
                 Material provided by public agencies may be distributed directly to students if
                 approved by the District Communications Office.
            (3) School Support Organizations and Partners in Education:
                  Material provided by school support organizations (Administrative Rule KF [Use

                  of School Facilities) and/or Partners in Education may be distributed directly to

                  students if approved by the Principal.
       b. Door-to-Door:

           Schools are prohibited from conducting door-to-door fund raising by students in
           activities sponsored by the school in which students would be selling items or

           soliciting advertisements, contributions, pledges, or orders.
       c. Schools may, at the discretion of the Principal, unless additional approval is required

           in the provisions below, allow the following advertisements in exchange for
           contributions to support local school extracurricular activities:
           (1) Advertisement in programs for school extracurricular activities
           (2) Advertisement in school newspapers
           (3) Advertisement in school annual or yearbooks

    2. High Schools Only:

       Revenues generated through this advertising shall be used to help defray the cost of  

       participation for student athletes and their parents.
       a. Advertisement in areas of public assembly such as athletic fields and gymnasiums in
           exchange for contributions to support local school athletic activities.
       b. Advertising inside the school, with the exception of scoreboards, must be easily
           removable and shall only be displayed during competitive athletic events (e.g.
           basketball games, wrestling tournaments, etc.). All such advertising must be in 

           accordance with this Rule, and not in conflict with other Board of Education Policy,

           District Administrative Rules or other laws or regulations.
       c. Advertising Copy, Size and Display Requirements:
           (1) The dimensions of the advertisement shall not exceed a square eight (8) feet by
                 eight (8) feet. No three dimensional signs will be approved.
           (2) The advertisement shall only be in one of the following formats:
                 (a) [NAME OF CONTRIBUTOR] SUPPORTS [SCHOOL NAME] HIGH SCHOOL
                 (b) [NAME OF CONTRIBUTOR] SUPPORTS [SCHOOL NAME] [SCHOOL
                       GROUP/TEAM NAME]
                 (c) GO [SCHOOL GROUP/TEAM NAME]! COURTESY OF [NAME OF

                      CONTRIBUTOR]
            (3) The name of the contributor may include the contributor's address, e-mail

                  address and telephone number at the option of the contributor. If, in the

                  opinion of both the District Athletic Office and the Principal, the contributor's

                  legal name does not adequately identify the contributor to the community, they

                  may allow the inclusion of the product or service the contributor provides, but

                  only to the extent necessary to adequately identify the contributor to the

                  community.
            (4) Size, color, design and quality of the advertisements shall be approved by the
                  Principal and the

                  District Athletic Office.
            (5) No exclusive advertising arrangement, except when included in a sales contract

                  with the school or District, may be made with any advertiser or contributor

                  either at the individual school or the entire District.
            (6) All advertisements placed on school property shall become the property of the
                  District and may be removed by the District at any time. Reasons for removal
                  include but are not limited to:
                 (a) Disrepair.
                 (b) Dissolution of the company;
                 (c) Change in District guidelines relative to advertising on school property;
                 (d) Non-payment of fee; or
                 (e) Change in principal.
            (7) The Principal may limit the number and location of advertisements which may

                  be displayed at each school. Issues regarding the number and/or location of

                  advertisements at a particular school site will be resolved by the Principal in
                  consultation with the Area Assistant Superintendent.
            (8) Restrictions/Prohibitions:
                  (a) The District will not permit advertisements to be constructed or displayed if

                        the contributor's name or other information as used in the advertisement

                        is:
                        1) Libelous;
                        2) Vulgar;
                        3) Obscene;
                        4) Racially offensive; 

                        5) Factually inaccurate;
                        6) Inappropriate for minors;
                        7) Inappropriate for the age of the students served by the school; or
                        8) Incompatible with the educational philosophy of the District or the

                            community at large.
                  (b) The District will not permit advertisements to be constructed or displayed if

                        the contributor's name as used in the advertisement describes, suggests,

                        promotes or is commonly identified with any product, service, activity or
                        advocacy of a political or partisan issue or statement, which is incompatible
                        with the District’s educational philosophy or the community at large,

                        including but not limited to the following products, services or activities:
                        1) Gambling or gambling aids;
                        2) Tobacco products;
                        3) Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor products;
                        4) Birth control products or related information;
                        5) Drug paraphernalia;
                        6) Pornography;
                        7) Illegal acts or acts illegal for minors;
                        8) Explicit sexual content or sexual overtones; or
                        9) Any product illegal for minors or the age of the students served by the
                            school.
            (9) The Principal and the District Athletic Office reserve the right to accept or reject

                  any advertisement copy. Proposed advertisement copy, layout and design must

                  be submitted on the form (Form KH-1) approved in writing by the District

                  Athletic Office BEFORE construction or display. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THIS

                  PROVISION SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO WAIVE THE RIGHTS OF THE DISTRICT

                  TO LATER ENFORCE THIS POLICY.
       d. Intent of Administrative Rule:
           (1) This Administrative Rule does not create, nor is it intended to create, a public or
                 limited public forum. Inasmuch as the fields of local schools are used as

                 classrooms during the school day, outdoor advertisements located thereon must

                 be in compliance with this Rule.
           (2) Nothing in this Rule shall be interpreted or implemented so as to open the

                 facilities of the District for indiscriminate use by the general public.

C. Donations of Property for the Purpose of Advertisement:
    1. Donations of $250,000 or More:
        Refer to Administrative Rule FF (Naming of School District Facilities).
    2. Donations of Less than $250,000:
        a. The District may accept gifts of equipment or improvements to school property.
        b. Such gifts may, at the discretion of the Principal and the Assistant Superintendent,

            Policy, Planning, and Student Support, display the name of the donor. If the name

            of the donor is displayed on the property or improvements, the name of the donor

            must be compatible with the requirements of Section B of this Administrative Rule.
    3. The District shall not be required to accept any such gift by virtue of this provision.

Reclassified an Administrative Rule: 9/1/04

Revised: 4/28/05; 1/26/06; 3/12/08