GBEBC Gifts to and Solicitations by Staff

GIFTS TO AND SOLICITATIONS BY STAFF

Gifts

The acceptance of personal gifts by school personnel from school suppliers, from parents and/or students can be subject to misinter­pretation and a source of embarrassment to the school system and all persons involved. When families, students, or others wish to express personal appreciation to a teacher or other staff member, the School Committee urges them to find modes of expression that do not involve personal gifts.

In keeping with this policy, employees of the School District will not accept personal gifts unless they are in compliance with Massachusetts State Ethics Commission guidelines. This restriction does not relate to the acceptance of gifts for the school system.

Solicitations

The School Committee supports the many worthwhile charitable drives that take place in the community and is gratified when school employees give them their support. However, the solicitation of funds from staff members through the use of school personnel and on school time must be kept to a minimum. Therefore, no solicitations of funds for charitable purposes will be made among staff members except with prior building Principal approval for school-specific initiatives and prior Superintendent approval for District-wide initiatives. Whenever such soli­citations are made, no pressure will be exerted to obtain contribu­tions even though the drive is one that the Superintendent has specifically approved. The Superintendent shall establish such rules to govern solicitations by staff as the circumstances may from time to time require.

SOURCE: MASC

CROSS REFS.: KHA, Public Solicitations in the Schools

LEGAL REF.: M.G.L. 268A et al

School Committee Approval: May 20, 2013