001Mr. Aer here. Miss Holmes >> here. Mr. Master >> here. >> You have a qu. >> Thank you. Our committee meetings are broadcasting live. To access the live stream, there is a [clears throat] video icon located in the online meeting agenda and also there is a link located on our district website, Facebook and X following Twitter. Okay, first up is uh discuss and approve revisions to policies G A HB political activities and LEG commercial promotional and corporate sponsorships and partnerships based on act 89 and send to full board and full. Can I get a motion? I'll make a motion. >> Motion by Miss Holmes, second by Mr. A. >> Okay. >> Yes. As we've spoken about a few times, act 89 of the legislature uh passed last month and basically provided an exception to Louisiana
002law that prohibits political advertising on public property. And so our board now needs to make a decision in terms of how we want to address this issue since the new law makes it permissive for political campaign signs to be placed on athletic facilities and stadiums and gymnasiums. Those are the only two places that they can be if the board allows it to be. And if you happen to have a school that's a precinct for an election, you have to still follow I think it's the 500 ft that you can't have something by polling place. So if gym would be used for instance for for the polling place, then all that would have to be removed when an election would take place in that area. Uh we had some cursory discussions just about our ideas on
003our at our retreat on September the 26th which was just to kind of start getting some discussion going with the board. Uh the conversations I've had and what came out of those meetings, you know, it appears that there were some differences of opinion. So Mr. Our and I have uh have been in constant communication about this since then and come up with several options for the board to consider uh when it comes to our policy. We first thought that the political activities policy was the one that we really needed to address, but that one really is related to employees, not this issue. But we did find another policy that you know directly relates to sponsorships. Uh and what we currently have in the district is individuals or businesses or locally elected officials and so forth
004engage at times with athletic programs and provide sponsorships. With that comes signage that is placed on a fence at you know the baseball field or on the wall of the gymnasium or somewhere in the the football stadium. So currently we don't have a policy to address that at all neither permissive nor prohibitive. All we have currently is the policy around political activities which is for employees. So I'll defer now to Mr. Alvarez. Uh because there was also a question that that came up uh from the Trailblazer uh meeting that LSBA sponsored last week that a couple of board members were at as it related to the board's ability to be part of a transaction of this nature. There was a statement made by attorney mayor that school board members would be prohibited from this type
005of sponsorship that would come with a sign that would go up. So Mr. Alvarez will give you the latest from the ethics board in terms of that issue because there is an exception that will allow you uh but I'll let him take over from this point. >> Yeah. So we we did prepare I guess when this thing first started I guess it did start primarily as a result of the new act of the legislature uh and and based on that act of legislation we understand that you know maybe the board had some varying opinions on it. So we basically created three options and this was done about midpoint last week. Option one to three uh which essentially ranges all the way to a uh a complete ban on use of political signs uh all the
006way to you know no ban at all this extent allowed under state law and obviously one uh that's in between there. Um then it you know it got put on our radar about a conference that was somewhere in North Louisiana and maybe uh attorney had made an opinion that well regardless of what you do a board member couldn't take part of this anyway because that would be an ethics violation. And with that ethics provision was basically uh that rule that as a public servant you can't enter into a contract with your own agency. that violates the ethics code because you as a board member, your agency is everything that has anything to do with the school board. The opinion that was given would be that you can't buy a sign and have your name put
007on there because you'll be transacting uh business uh with your agency. So, we called the board of ethics um Friday afternoon and u you know their initial opinion was going to be that yeah it it is an ethics violation for a board member to be doing that and he said give me the weekend though and let me look at it and study it more. Um we did have a call this morning and uh he found one of the exceptions in the ethics code and again this is coming from the ethics board. Uh, and I'll go through this exception with you, but long story short, as long as you're in compliance with this exception, it will be permissible for board members to uh do the advertising just like any other member of the community. So, one
008little caveat and what that exception says, a public servant and and just to frame this up, this is what would not be considered a violation of the ethics code because this is a list of exceptions that you're going through. says a public the ethics code would not prohibit a public servant from providing to an agency of the governmental entity of the public servant a thing of economic value to obtain advertisements or other recognition featuring the public servant or immediate family member. If, and these are the four requirements, the public servant refuses or disqualifies himself on all matters involving the transaction if applicable. Well, none of these would ever go before the board. You know, this is just how I handled at the school level. So, nothing to worry about on there. Uh part B, the
009terms and conditions of the transaction are the same as or substantially similar to those available to similarly situated persons who are not public servants or related persons. So again, you're fine there because you're doing the exact you're taking advantage of the same exact opportunity that any private person or any business in the community would have. Uh the third prong, the transaction is conducted without preference and in the same manner subject to the same requirements and conditions applicable to the general public. That's basically the same thing as the second one we just read. Again, you're not getting any other advantage any any more of an advantage than anybody else in the general public. Again, this is open to the general public, so no issue there. Now the one restriction that could come in depending on how
010much you obligate this is the value of the transaction does not exceed $10,000. However, no person shall enter into separate transactions valued at $10,000 or less as a sub refuge to avoid the limitation in this sub paragraph. So basically what that says is if you are a board member and you want to do the advertising, you can't do more than $10,000 worth of the advertising. Otherwise, it would be a violation of the ethics code. So, that's the one thing where you would be treated differently than, you know, just somebody in the general public who's not uh not a board member, they have no dollar threshold, you technically would have that $10,000 threshold. So, again, if you stay within those four requirements, which, you know, three of them are easy, the other one's just a dollar
011threshold. There would be no ethics code. um you would not have to worry about violating the ethics code by a board member purchasing advertising for any of the schools signs putting a sign up on the field putting a sign up in the gym. So we ran that one down um you know depending on how that ethics code one uh came out that we were going to possibly put a fourth option on paper. Uh but now that we got the ethics code issue cleared up, I think we are back down to the three options that was initially presented uh last week. So I don't know if you have any questions about them. Y'all want me just to briefly explain them. Um which I can do. Um so essentially um you guys have this approach to this.
012So option one and I mean we did these in no particular order. um is basically a no man political advertising. So what option one essentially allows you to do is exercise the full authority under the law. You know the law uh basically says where these things uh can be placed and that's pretty much it. So that's essentially what your policy is going to uh say if if under option one is that as long as you're in compliance with state law, that's good enough for us as as our policy. Um, I would suggest one change though as a result of this ethics um, uh, information that came up and that would be to the very last sentence of option one where it says the school board shall have sole authority to determine the maximum number of
013signs that can be placed on any given field or gym as well as as as well as where such signs may be located. I would suggest that instead of the school board there, we just delegate that to each school, which is probably probably how it's going to be done anyway. But again, [clears throat] I feel like, you know, maybe taking the school board itself out as the decision maker um such that we won't get into any issues with these provisions of the MS that we just went through. School board is not necessarily supposed to be involved in their voting on it. Um but essentially under option one uh candidates who are running for office you know you can they can buy a sign with with the office that they're running for um any elected officials
014uh including school board uh sitting school board members. They buy a campaign sign uh that has the office that they currently hold on. U none of that's prohibited by statute. So that would not be prohibited by your policy uh if you do option one. Um, option two is essentially a a complete ban on political advertising. And um, you know, basically what we did is the first sentence almost comes verbatim from the law. Um, cuz basically the law this law that changed it it for most people it is for most governmental entities it was just a complete ban. Uh but with the change that was done last year, uh the legislature recognized the way they schools are kind of different. You know, we know schools for a long long long time. They've been selling signs along
015their football fields. They've been selling signs in their gym. And you know, we're not going to take that away. So, that is kind of the exception that the law allowed for school systems. Um but again that's something that the school system each independent school system has the authority to decide whether it's going to do that or not. So essentially for option two you would be deciding that you know we ain't doing any campaign any campaign no campaign signs at all. So in order to do that, that that's sentence one. But then really to flush that out, what we had to do was come up with a definition in terms of okay, what is considered a political campaign sign because the statute doesn't it doesn't give us a definition on that. So essentially what we said
016is u a campaign sign is considered to be any sign that states uh the name of any individual running for elective office, the name of any individual holding elective office, the name of any local or national political party or committee, or a message intended to advocate for or oppose any proposition or matter to be voted for. So under this option two uh what would happen is no elected officials would be able to purchase a sign. No candidates running for public office would be able to purchase a sign and nothing that would have like a political messaging or political meaning uh would you couldn't nobody could purchase a sign that had anything like that on it. Um, option three is kind of I guess the uh the middle ground. I call it a limited uh ban
017on political advertising. Uh, and it starts off no political uh campaign sign erect, displayed or posted in or on the premises of any school property. But singular adoption two, you know, what we're going to do is define uh campaign signs in a way that allows some signs uh that you know may or may not be considered campaign uh but not allow others. Um so you know the question was was if you know you have somebody that's uh an elected member [clears throat] of office you know could be a parish president chair clerk of court you know they just have solely their name just their name nothing else you know is that really a campaign sign or is that just them as an individual that you know follows face on the sign just like any other
018member of the general public could do obviously if you have a name that says you know, Chris Bagel Parish President argued that would be a political sign, but if it just says nope, Amy P, you know, is that really a political campaign sign or is that, you know, just Miss Pek showing her support uh for the schools? So what we did is uh for option three to try to define uh campaign signs by it's a name of a person and some kind of political office that they're running for. It had to be tied together for it to be a political campaign sign. So if it was just the name of somebody, regardless of whether they were elected official or not, running for office or not, just the name, we would not deem that to be
019a political campaign. So that's essentially what uh item option three says. So for for option three, the name of elected person would not be considered to be in political campaign sign if it's not tied to any public office. Um, and same thing, anybody running for office, as long as they don't have, you know, running or vote such and such for whatever office, that one is you consider a political campaign sign. So, as long as somebody just has their name, regardless if they're elected official or not, running for office or not, that's we would not consider that to be a political campaign. So, how that would work in practice is uh under if option three was put into place, um I'm just picking on Amy. Uh you know, if Amy Pan wants a sign that just
020says Amy Pan under option three, that would not be considered a camp a political campaign sign. So, that would be perfectly fine. But if she wanted a sign that said AB pate clerical of court, that would be considered a political campaign sign and it would not be allowed under option. So that's kind of the three options. Uh like there's a lot of room to massage these options uh even in between them. Um but essentially that's what we've crafted as kind of I guess a starting point for you to consider. >> What do we have now? Uh right now you have a political activities policy. Uh but as we read this, you know, I don't really think this applies to your signs. Um this really applies to just students and their employees, you know, politicking during
021school day. You say that's another, you know, teacher shouldn't be wearing a a button, vote for such and such and all that type of stuff. Uh that's what that policy um is really uh geared to. Um I didn't don't have it with me, but I think you do [clears throat] have uh another policy that prohibits um political activities like many other school districts do. However, the issue is, you know, even though most school districts always had that policy, every school district was still selling the signs. Um I mean it's something that has been done for decades and decades and decades in every school district across the state. I mean how do you reconcile those is uh you know just in my opinion is that most districts have never considered that to really be campaign for
022political activities. You know it's just you have these programs where businesses can give money and they you know they get assigned you recognize them for the you know the contribution they make. Same thing for individuals. Uh and I guess cuz most people have never considered that to be you know kind of political in nature or political uh political activity. So it's almost like a an exception to the to the policies. Um, you know, the argument was that too is, you know, this all started because, um, I mean, this is at the news, you know, the attorney general was at a uh at a at a at a school district and and noticed a uh a campaign sign on one of the fields. And, you know, it's like, wait a minute, you know, that's not supposed
023to be uh legal under the statute. And uh, they give us something again going in every single district in the state found the same thing. it's just been such a common practice. Um, so that's why the legislature came back then and said, "Okay, yeah, and maybe it's a, you know, appears it could be an issue under the statute, but we've done this forever and ever and never ever. So, we're just going to fix it. We're just going to pass a law saying that it's okay." U, so that's that's why we have the law that came out this last session. U, but in any event, you know, this is something that y'all have always been doing. I mean, there's been signs on the field for as long as I can remember, you know. So, it's just
024one of those where, you know, a little publicity uh at the state level kind of put this on the radar and uh you know, because it's now on the radar because of the recent enactments um in the statute, you know, now it's kind of time to, I guess, address it in your polic policy. uh clearly because like I said you don't necessarily have anything in your policy that has ever directly regulated the placing of these signs you know the sponsorships if you will of the fee >> I have a question let's say uh let's say it goes with the limited ban could you run into any kind of discrimination type things by allowing some but not allowing others well I wouldn't think so you're you're still treating giving everybody the same. You know, again, you're
025you're giving and under option three, you're giving anybody that wants to buy a sign or or let me say anybody that wants to contribute money to the school system and they're going to be recognized with the sign. Every one of them has the same opportunity. You know, all all the board say option three is just you can't put a political position on it. You know, if you're running for something, we don't care. You can't put that on the sign. If you hold a political office, we don't care. Can't put that on the sign. But if you just want your name on the sign, that's perfectly fine. So, you know, it's not like you're taking a uh you're getting involved in anybody's individual politics or anything like that. It's just it's really almost like a a
026politically neutral uh regulation in that in that standpoint. Uh really no different than if you just completely manage to uh I don't know just you superintendent been talking districts and stuff. I mean, is that a concern about what the way people leaning or >> um you know, I have not necessarily seen what other districts are doing. Uh my my gut would tell me though again that this was a pretty standard practice. Um and again, I don't think if they were already doing it, you know, nothing in the law that has came up uh this year requires them to stop doing it. In fact, a lot has changed this year to make make clear that what has basically always been done is okay. So, you know, I I tend to think there won't be a massive
027shift from districts that have always been doing this to all of a sudden saying we're not going to do it anymore, but I I don't know that. I'm not spoken to this yet. >> And I've only spoken to to one about this really hasn't been a challenge with other places around the state. the one that I did speak to, they're leaving it up to each campus, which I don't think that's something we should do. I think we need to have something that's across the board and not have different things happening on different campuses, which then year by year can change on each of those campuses. >> Yeah, I don't like that idea either. Um, but I feel like it's, you know, somebody, if it's at the school level, I guess it's your principal making a
028decision and then if somebody's want to do something and they get turned down, but another school is saying yes, you know, or they get turned down one way or another because of the politics of a principal or because this is some kind of uniform uh universally applied rule within the district as a whole. Uh I think it's something that probably on the district level. >> Uh I don't see anything here about I know about the 10,000 but I don't see anything about cost of signs. >> I have no idea what they call >> well I mean I I don't know whether they cost that is a part that is left up to >> Okay. traditionally as it's occurred, you know, they use it as a fundraiser for their athletic programs. Uh, and we've never regulated
029that deal before, which is no different than any other fundraiser that happens on a campus. You know, it's up to them. We don't dictate to them if they're selling dinners on weekends, you know, how much to charge or if they're using world's finest chocolate and putting lemon on them on how much of that, you know, dollar off the board, for instance. So as far as that piece, if you allow this practice to continue, which if you do according to that statute, it says as per school board policy, if you want to allow that practice to continue, then we've got to get it into the policy manual. But I think once that occurs, then that should be left up to each campus. as far as what Evan spoke about how much the money how much signage
030would be uh along with how many signs that they would be able to put out because the spacing in in each gym of course will be a little bit different. The aesthetics in each gym is different. The football stadiums are are set up a little bit differently with how the bleacher systems are at high as compared to other campuses. Uh we've got brain fencing that's up, you know, north right now. they might not want to put any signs of brand new taxes. I mean, so those are things I think if you make it permissive, then you allow the schools to determine cost of sponsorship, how many sons and that kind of stuff. Plus, it also takes you out of what Evan spoke about earlier where you are able to engage, but you have to recuse
031yourself from any type of decisions around it. So I think if you started to dictate a pricing on that thing then you kind of am now negotiating too how much you would pay if you would put it out there. So but the $10,000 figure you know that that's just for the ethics court standpoint. So, you know, if y'all do this, I mean, it's incumbent upon each board member that, you know, individually you'll have to kind of track and monitor, you know, those numbers because, you know, theoretically you could be given to more than one school. Uh, you know, one school ain't going to be able to keep track of that how much you may be given to another school. So, you know, it's not something that on the school level they'll be able to, oh,
032you know, they spend x amount, they gave us money, I know they gave that other school money, we keep track of it. It's something that, you know, you just have to keep track yourself. Make sure you don't go over that $10,000 figure uh to make sure you won't you want to have an >> the Okay. Okay. The good thing about this deal that's passed was her school board policy. Anytime things like this come up where kids and programs in our district are benefited, I would like to try and make it work. The good news is per school board policy, as long as I've been here, as long as I've been in the public school system, it's the same people donating the sheriff, public court, maybe your school board member, and we've never had any concerns
033or problems. When people donate, they want to be recognized. Not everybody, but the majority of people want to be recognized for their contribution. Some people think money grows on trees. It does not. And for example, hey, we recognize people at the school board every meeting and it shows how important for them to get recognized is they show up and when they recognize they leave after. So it's important. It's also saying to the students in this district that that's my share. Thank you. need he helped raise money for our program. I don't know this for certain, but if we spoke to the coaches and we spoke to the principles, I would think, this is me guessing, that they are grateful. And when it's easy, I think for people to say, "Hey, we banned all donations for
034you and still donate. The money will dry up. And when parents in our school district, in your school district, my school district, start having to foot the bill, they're going to be asking us questions. Why did we do that? This helps our children. This helps our parents. So I think you know I think there's a way person policy we can we can make it however we like it. However we want to do it we can do that as a board. But that's that's my opinion. I think a lot of times the status quo is never good enough for a lot of times but for this one keep it as is. We've never had an issue in the past. There's a couple of things that we need to figure out, but completely banning it would not
035be beneficial for the kids in our school district. In my opinion, >> most of these people make these donations. How long are these signs supposed to stay on? >> Within a year period. >> Typically, it's a one year, but they can depends what their agreement is. cuz I know we got some we got someone there that's been up there and I know recognition prior to you know sessions we put up I'm just asking how long what's the limitation >> yeah one year usually in I can speak on my experience I would go out and asking questions the school reached out to me and said Mr. gosh it most professional way. If you do this to help us, this is what we can do for you. And that's putting a sign up in the gymnasium. >>
036What does it say? What does the sign >> just like all other signs say the name school board member district? I didn't I didn't see any like down in white and thus >> I was training last year. Um the blue booklets uh that you do during um homecoming maybe um they were saying something about we not supposed to be buying ads in those books or not because there's money going directly to the school. You know anything about that? >> Was that the same conference? >> That that's the same. So what they told us was it we're not supposed to give money to the schools because it's a conflict of interest. >> Yes. >> And that it that's >> and we always we had to clarify that as well. >> Yeah. No, we and we there
037there was multiple issues that from that that we reached out to the ethics board. So, we reached out to the ethics board attorney and they confirmed that it is not a violation of the ethics code uh for an elected official to donate their services or to donate immovable movable property to their agents. movable property money to be movable property. >> That's not what they told us. But somebody >> Yeah, they put through scenario scenario and that that's not what they told us. >> Well, again, this is coming straight from the ethics board who >> they were ethics board attorney. There's not a representative from the board that >> the school got sued. The district got sued. >> Um and I mean I can tell you I was dealing with another uh issue last last week.
038Again, similar questions dealt with volunteer services. The question of it was whether a board member could volunteer to coach his team, one of his teams uh at one of the schools in the district. Uh and the ethics board uh actually said yes because a board member can volunteer their services. That's not a violation of the code of ethics. But neither the school or the school board could appoint them as a coach. Now having that place together, I don't know. I'm scratching my [clears throat] head at that still. So long story short, no board said again, yes, board volunteer their services uh to any school or to the district as a as a whole. That does not violate the Louisiana code of ethics. Uh again, their attorney last week told me and they signed into it.
039I checked it out myself. I'm in agreement. Uh there's no prohibition against a uh a elected official donating movables. Money would be a movable to their agency. your agency is the school board or any school within the school board. Um so no to the extent that our board members are donating uh making personal contributions donating money to the school uh that's not a violation of the ethics school. And then from a practical standpoint is even if it was even if it was to me I think that'd be very tough optics for the board of ethics to come after somebody saying shame on you for donating money to the school system. I'm not sure that would make you look bad if you get advertised that that's why you got in trouble cuz you gave money to
040the school system. Um, but in the end, you know, that's just more opinion than than law. But >> I brought all my my stuff the gates. >> Okay. I I'll look at it. I'll be more than happy to look at it. But no, we uh cuz as soon as uh those reports were made, Dr. did contact me. Again, we did reach out to the board of ethics, you know, to get it clarify. >> Miss P, >> I certainly understand what you're saying, but gosh, I was hoping you would say it wasn't a violation cuz I just brought a check this morning [laughter] in that um the theater. I sponsor the child with no recognition. I don't want the recognition. I want the child to be sponsored when they go to this program. So, I I
041was certainly hoping you were going to say this is violation. >> Um, and we do it. We all we all do. >> And I I can't remember ever refusing a club, an organization dealing with the uh school when it involves our children. And to me, you know, look, I had a sign, you know, I've done that in the past, you know, $500. I didn't think it was in violation. No. Nobody ever told me it was. And so, you know, but um I think we all have had those those experiences and certainly we absolutely want to help our students and help our clubs and our programs, but we can do it without name recognition. That's how I feel. And and right now I think I think you know we're all in a political fire marshall in
042this country in this in this community in this world. Um and I don't I just don't want to add to it. I don't want this board to add to it in any way. We can give and give without name recognition. And um I certainly will. I know you will. I think everybody will and has. I just think it's to to cut it clean. Just make it a clean. You know, I um I have grandchildren in Escape Parish, so I go to different um uh fields. There are no political signs at Ascension Patch that I have seen. Now, I'm just saying I've never seen one and I've been doing this for a while. Um, but I, you know, could put somebody put one up yesterday. I don't know. But this is just my take on it.
043And, um, we, you know, we get one all the time. All the time. um and and glad to do. I kind of stand with Mario on this and leave well enough along uh that people advertise on the fields or athletic facilities or gymnasiums that has the law states and uh I mean there's a committee I'm part of right now we're working on scholarships for every high school in the parish we met with Friday council white castle if I mean, if you go and say, "Oh, we'll take your money, but you can't get nothing in return for it." I mean, what's the what's to say that that community say, "Okay, we're going to take this $5,000 and go put it in private school for scholarship versus somebody that doesn't want it." You know, that's my take
044on. >> So, when you give and you got to have your money. So when you give and you have to have your name connected to it, that's the way to get and I have never seen a sign with the right to vote. Break a book. So if you put your business on necessarily mean nobody going to steal no vote, >> right? It wasn't signed for me. I'm just saying. Well, I'm just saying the way people do, you know, you got to pay pay the money and you need recognition or you could just do it if you're doing it from your heart for the kid when you lived it with some kind of neighborhood. That's it. Would that fall under number three? >> Huh? >> That would be number one. >> Yeah. Option one would be
045no ban on political advertising which means you know essentially your policy allows political advertising to the fullest extent as allowed in the statute as this last session which means political campaign signs that can be sold on your uh on your fields your athletic facilities in your gym. I'm not talking about >> I don't think it's hypocritical to want to be recognized for doing something good for somebody. Certainly many people many people have donated or given without recognition. I'm speaking on behalf of this policy that we're dealing with, the status quo of what's been going on for so long. Um, but we recognize people for doing well in our school district. The same as signed up for donating to a program in our school. I don't think it's hypocritical to >> help our program. Why can't
046we have a name or something and recognize these people at that time? Why have it all on the sign uh such and such with the official name and the official position, politics position? Uh you could give and then we could have a banquet or something and recognize those people. I don't know. I mean, it's just confusing right now. It's very confusing. So, so the sign would say to vote for Yeah. Well, under option one, you know, you really don't get involved in what the sign says. You know, because the, you know, the statute talks about a political sign, but it doesn't necessarily define what what is a political sign. Does that just mean the name of somebody who holds office or is running for office or is that the name of the person tying to
047an elective office? The statute sited on it. So, that's what we kind of massage in on the uh on the various options. Uh so on option one, you know, basically we're just going to we would take the position that you just want your name is the name. If you want the name tied to the office, you know, you can you can have the name tied to an office. Uh now option three is the limited band. So again, option three was kind of somewhere in the middle. Uh under option three, you can have your name. Even if you hold political office, that's fine. You can have the name. If you're running for a political office, you have a name, but you can't tie it to a certain office that either you hold or that you're running
048for. So, you know, under three, again, you have a name, but you can't have chief of police underneath it or, you know, elect police or, you know, whatever whatever office somebody they run. So, again, it's just under three. It's just the names of people, just their names. And we don't care if they're holding political office, running for political office, or not involved in politics in any way, just the name. Um, option one, again, it's it's yeah, three is kind of the one in the middle. One is all the way to no band, uh, full extent as allowed by law. And then option two is the, uh, complete B. So I probably should have had swap three and two on the list. Put it right in the middle. >> So with option three, if you have
049a business, you >> Well, a business, we wouldn't consider a business to be a a political sign because a business, you know, you put your name on a business. You're just advertising the business. >> So he was just advertising his >> even if Yeah. So you know, now chemical owns a sign. None of this will buy something. >> See, one of the things they told us was that if I own like I own a business, >> Yes. >> I would not be able to put a sign because I own the business. >> Well, I I think that was that, you know, that mistake that was told to y'all because again, you know what normally that would be the case. You know, if you as >> I've been up there for years. >> Yeah. you as
050an individual, you know, if you have something that you can't do because it would be in violation of the ethics code, then if you own a business that you're more than a 25% ownership in, then that business can't do what you can't do either. Otherwise, it' be a violation of an ethics code. So, in other words, if you're prohibited from doing something because it would be a violation for you personally to make this purchase or enter into that contract, you just can't go have your LLC that you're 100% owner of make that purchase or do the contract. That would still be an ethics violation that it's tied back to you. But, you know, situation like this, we already talked about where it would not be an ethics violation for a board member to, you know,
051give money to the school and there's a sign of recognition. Um, so to the extent that you did it in a business that you own 25% or more, it wouldn't be an ethics violation there. Uh, there you will. >> No, it still wouldn't be because you can do it, you know, as long as you were not going more than $10,000, then it's not it's not an ethics code violation for you. So, it wouldn't be an ethics violation for, you know, entity that you all. Now, what you couldn't do though is, you know, you do 10,000 personally and then you get your LLC or your business to do another $10,000, you might have a violation there. >> As long as you're with below that $10,000 number, it's not a violation yet. Four more questions. So, so
052the ethics when they answer your opinion um you was different. Is that because just the status quo or because the school get a donation to help people >> um on the ethics side of it? >> Yeah. >> No, I mean this ethics code exception is not just limited to school boards. this would apply to uh to so I mean let's say a parish government you know if you have let's say the parish parish government owns some kind of uh you know field or park or something where you know political or advertising is sold you know under this uh this provision it would not be an ethics code violation for the same thing to happen on the parish government the ethics code issue is not something that's limited to just school boards as opposed it applies
053to all governmental bodies. Now the the law that passed though um only school boards have that exception though for for political campaigns. Um other public property schools are not supposed to have uh political campaigns. Only only school systems and schools have that exception to the law. Any more comments? >> Yeah, I I'll just make one point quickly. You're not bound to make a decision today. you know, to to begin with as I think at this point the ones that are up this year are up this year and the basic contract from there. But as we move into the future and any new things that may come up as you're dealing with additional seasons that are going to take place, basketball will be starting up next month. The baseball, softball, track, all of that will be
054starting up in the spring. We can direct schools if you don't want to decide this at the moment. Do not sell anymore. Honor what we put up. for this school year. But at some point, if we want to allow that, we're going to have to address it in the board policy because the the statute clearly states subject to board policy. Political signs may be erected, displayed, or posted. And then the rest of that wall, if you take no action at all, at some point the ones that are up are going to have to come down because then they're no longer in compliance with the law. You do have very little things happening in terms of elections this fall, but next school year, we're starting with a whole another cycle of elections. And you're going to
055have some propositions that are going to come up in the spring that we won't have any up, but you have other agencies in in this option. One language in here would include a message intended to advocate for or oppose any proposition to be voted on. >> And I'll put that in there. That's something that can be taken off. >> That's something that can be taken on. You know, even this first one can be >> I've never seen it. >> Yeah. I've never seen a sign on on a school field that had anything to do with a proposition or best. You know, usually it's all individuals holding office or running for office or something like that. And you know since we were looking at defining okay what is a political sign a political campaign sign we
056just started off with a broad definition but at any point in time if you want to you know narrow it and narrow that definition in I mean that that's something to do again you don't have a definition of the statute >> the key >> absolutely >> yes ma'am >> the key word you said he was that you never seen a proposition that doesn't >> Yeah, cuz usually that would be hard to get on a sign, you know, if there's only so much space on them, >> right? Well, most of them have signs and they're not big huge signs, but they do have support and support certain propositions. So, they do they enforce it. >> Yeah. >> So, it could exist. >> That's what we do when we as lawyers, you know, we take the most
057facicious approach to everything possible. So, I said, "Well, I don't want to draft something." And then I left a loophole in it that somebody could exploit. So I put it in there and then you know put that on y'all plate to decide what you want what you don't want to play. And just just one more comment on this. Um you know all the bills I've been to I've seen elected officials with that title. I know but never have I seen elect or elect. Yeah, >> just like I mentioned the status quo, you know, we we've been doing things a certain way for a long time. Um, also I think these options they they I mean we're able to change these options and word it the way we like to word it if we can come
058to the um >> No, look I'm I'm a little strong. It's okay. to me. I thought to me to me, no, no one has ever reached out to the school to say, "Hey, let's we're going to [clears throat] give a donation when y'all do this for me." The school has always sent a professional letter out to individuals who have been elected in our school district to say, "Oh, this that and the other. They've offered it. It's not the individual saying if I donate, I want my name up on the wall." Oh yeah, >> the school has offered this >> to take place. >> So I was never I never receive one of those professional letters. So I would know. All I know is >> whenever you give something, I always talk. When you give, it's
059supposed to come from your heart. That's that's between you and God. Absolutely. >> That's what so any other way to move is hypocritical. >> Absolutely. I'm going to call the coast of white counsel [laughter] because they know on there why they probably say a lot of things are changing now. It's a lot of stuff that used to be the norm but the norm is totally different and it's bringing out all kind of feelings from everybody. Everybody feeling different and [clears throat] things happening now that we would never thought would happen. And it's just hard. So we got to be very careful when we do this because uh just because the norm the norm the norm ain't normal. It's got other things happening and anything can grow from from this [clears throat] with the election coming
060up and never know. >> Mhm. >> But it's going to change. >> Yeah, it is. It is. So, we got a lot to think about. >> But like I mentioned, it's the same people donating to these programs. It's the same people. And yes, things change across the country, but this is Mobile. When the people [clears throat] speak and you're elected, you're an elected official and people should be recognized for their contributions. >> They don't get it. So just a Mario school. >> Yeah. No, I didn't. I thought that was >> That's a good thing. We can be as specific as we want. >> It's only elected officials in the school district, not anybody running for office. But when the people speak at the poll for office and they want to have their name recognized when
061I leave the school, >> we we have the right to make that policy. Only elected officials in our community. >> We can word it. We want school board policy. discriminated against >> that would be a discrimination case. >> Yeah. I'm not sure that we can ban demand right off. So yeah, I'm not sure we can ban candidates. >> Yeah, that's true. >> I think you know what Mr. Masha said that he doesn't have a vote on his side, >> but that's something that I think you could you could say we're not going to allow you to say vote for vote against oppose support this >> or elect other alternative languages that the board can >> you know it's been my experience being in this world signs don't get votes they They don't. They never have.
062>> And that's not what they're there for. >> They're there for recognition, for giving to the programs for our kids. >> I understand. No, she said signs in in general. >> Right. Right. >> Just show them signs in general. That's true. You can spend all the money you want on them signs. If somebody don't want you in office, you're not going to get one. I do like the idea of putting in a clause that says to say elect or reelect or vote or I think that a little bit something >> so that would kind of go more I guess a limited option three where you just have yeah that would be going more toward an option three where they kind of have their sign uh I mean their name but not tied to an office.
063Um, but I mean that's another office because I would I mean at East I think I have I guess there uh Terresa Lloyd every school board is but it doesn't say neck or anything but I'm still tied to >> I guess the hard part about just the office is if you're the incumbent it has an office on it but if you're running forward. You know, you're saying elect for the office, but if you can't put elect for the office, you can't put the elect. Mhm. >> But they they couldn't put the office because then it would imply that they hold an office that they don't hold. So, I guess that would be the issue. >> Maybe that's why they let them change it every year. You have to take them down or something. >> Well,
064that's for uh is just pay. >> Yeah. Like anything else. I mean, >> they leave the donation. The donation is usually supposed the donation is supposed to be usually for one year. Yeah. Theoretically, you know, the school should be all right, we got to take all our signs down at the end of the year. You know, let's let's start, you know, beating the pavement to get our donations for next year and, you know, that would be the new signs that that go up. You know, that's kind of on the school level where they're supposed to be, you know, making sure that they're collecting what they're supposed to collect and make sure our signs aren't supposed to be up there. they're supposed to come down and kind of home to making sure people get a nice
065letter thanking them for their contribution and >> that that's probably more school. >> That would typically be the athletic department. There any more comments from the board? >> This is something we need to study more. >> You can defer this to uh to get to discuss in the future to get more information to come up with different options. >> These options if if you give us some parameters. I mean, the these are three options that kind of talked through a little bit today if you all give us feedback of tweaks that you'd like to see cuz the the most substantive one that I've heard today is if it's allowed have language that would take out the elect or reelect or support or oppose or those types of words >> actually that one probably go to
066number one because number three states that you can only have the person's name and not the name of the office. uh and and I think so that's a substantive recommendation that could be edited into this uh option number one also you didn't speak about it in the meeting today but several of you individually have spoken to me around in that option number one where you look at what the definitions would be the part of the committee. I think three. >> Yeah. Number three, the name of any local or national political party or committee. Some of you have individually spoken to me that you would not want that included. So, kind of need to know your thoughts on whether or not you want that part edited out. uh you did speak substantively about really not being
067interested in the opposition or advocacy for positions. >> Uh I I think that they've never existed in any of our facilities because people thought they couldn't do it, you know, but that's something to consider. I think every now and again you see with some of these tax elections these support or vote no signs that pop up next to the highway and we had four reviews last year. I don't think we want to have people have the ability to say vote no against our reviews next time they come up. So those are some things that substantively if you want an option that would kind of match up to what we are currently have done in practice that those are some edits that could be made and we can bring those back to you uh at another
068executive committee meeting or you can ask us bring them back for a board. I would suggest you come back in this setting first cuz it it may take a couple of meetings in order to kind of ultimately hash off. Uh some board members have indicated to me they want the bat. I don't want any of them which that's why one of those you know options was on here. So I if we're going to defer it to another executive committee meeting, then we know of a few things now substantively that we can look at to to add in there as far as some of the suggestions and uh comments made today and ask if there's any others that you want us to consider. Uh, and if you think of any after the meeting, you know, between
069now and, you know, the next few days while this is fresh in our minds, then you can always send those in and we can work with Kevin to make some substantive edits as well. >> So, Evan, what what is your what is your lawyer? >> Let's put you on the spot. I'm not I'm not getting into my personal just you know I know >> um >> as a lawyer talking >> like as a lawyer you you got the legal option to again I mean every one of these options I've put the floor they're perfectly they're perfectly legal um and it's perfectly fine to craft out someone's um someone's uh you know hybrid of these com if you want to combine some of these into one I mean you And um you know this is something
070that again you know the law they wrote the law the way they did to give each board flexibility to make whatever decision that board thinks is best for its district. So you have that flexibility. Um so as as a lawyer again whatever you choose it's going to be legal um in terms of you know these these three the generaliz but uh I don't I'm not going to get into >> I do know Dr. be mentioned about uh you know committees uh something we did not discuss or get any opinions on. Is there anyone that want to give the opinion on uh the name of any local or national political party or committee? Does anyone have any comments regarding those type of committees having the ability to put signs if they donate money to our [clears
071throat] school districts? Does anybody have any comments? I mean, I stayed I stayed, you know, at our retreat that I'm had being able to play as >> and I differ from that opinion uh respectfully just uh and donated money from my committee doing scholarships and everything else. So uh respectfully I different from back to recognition what apple >> but it can be considered that be considered fraternity sorority if they don't is that the same thing as a >> committee those are not political committees those will be the same as business you know when you talk about political [clears throat] >> political committees >> then you're talking about the two people in most associations would be the Republican party and the Democratic party there's a whole lot of other parties Yeah. Yeah. This policy is really
072it's about political advertising. So, you know, non-political entities and all that, you know, Walmart, um, a fraternity, a sorority, you know, you know, none of that's really with this policy or at least this section that you're you're considering changing or amending. Um, that's not implicated in this. So when we say, you know, committees in here, we're talking about a political committee. When we say, uh, you know, party, we're referring to, you know, political party. Um, when we say propositions, you know, obviously that that's something that's going to be on the balance. That's what we're talking about. You know, that's just any any proposition that you want to consider. >> So one more thing. So there's there's no really deadline on doing this because we're okay now. >> Well, yeah. I mean, there's not necessarily a
073deadline. Um, but it's just one that, you know, the legislature has now acted, you know, they basically said, you know, you're supposed to make a policy, you know, if you're going to do this. >> Okay. Um, you know, y'all the signings that are out there now, like those are already I guess suppose, you know, those donations were collected probably at the beginning of the year, maybe in the summer. So, you know, nobody's saying you need to go start taking out signs. Uh, so do you have to decide this now, like just this month? No. But it's probably something that, you know, you really want to decide and have in place, you know, far in advance of the next school year. Um and again especially maybe even maybe even earlier than that because you know not
074really a lot of elections this year really no elections at the local level this year. Uh next year will will be a different out and you know qualifying for elections will be in the summertime of next year. So you probably don't want to be waiting till the summertime of next year to make a decision. You probably want to have something you know pretty far in advance. So >> can it be taken until January or December? I I I Yeah, I believe December, January, December. >> I don't know if we should do we should tangle it that long. I mean, next month >> since we're already talking about it, let's just go ahead. >> November. >> Whatever we need to do, >> you know, then to come back talking about this again in January. >> Oh,
075November. >> It's already been November. >> Yeah. So, that give us time to figure out. So I guess you need to again executive. >> My recommendation if the substantive things that you talked about, you want us to make some edits to come as close to as we can to allow for what you already have, which are the elect, reelect, advocate, oppose uh propositions. uh and a part of our political committees, come up with options there. Uh we can come up with those additional tweaks, you know, and schedule another executive committee meeting. Uh, I doubt that we can get one done in time for the November board meeting, but we should be able to have time to get another executive committee scheduled to meet again prior to bringing it ultimately to a vote at the December
076board meeting, which then puts it in line. Uh, and and I agree that at least like we mentioned earlier, you're not in a mad rush to make a decision. Now, there's multiple differing opinions, but ultimately this board is going to have to make a decision. Next year, you have a lot of elections. >> Mhm. >> And uh not just at the local level, but the national level as well. You know, we got congressional races next year. you know what you both uh the Senate race will be on there next year that is already busting with uh with people advertising and uh and vote and all of your congressional representative elections are in those signs. We don't we don't need all of them signs around those schools. need to do that. If you're Republican, you're Republican,
077Democrat, and that's process. Teach that at home, you know, not I think those kids have enough responsibility as if you're going to give it. My thing is um we couldn't have this exam meeting an hour before we begin. You know, I know a lot of people working so that would be a problem to get them here. with with that. If you want a few more tweaks on these options, you don't want to hear those new options an hour before you're going to make a final decision on it. So, you probably want to hear Yeah, you probably want to hear those. You know, you may have you want to take some time to study, decide on >> I would I would advise that we not do that. You already have your other committees. >> Well, I
078just need that. >> Yeah. And today we we're at an hour and 15 minutes almost already and and really have not made progress in terms of trying to come to an agreement on a final resolution. Is it possible or doable or whatever to say okay this is this is the option we go yes we go yay or we go vote nay for it because if you if you give three options or whatever you know you may have three different I mean you're going to have a group that's two or three say this one two or three say that and two or three say that so it looks You know, you would say one this is this is it gay n I'm just trying >> I think what you can do is somebody can make a
079motion to accept one of the options and then you would vote on that option. I I don't know that you could put all three lights up to a vote. >> It could >> or you could go through a process of elimination if you don't have a majority to vote for. Let's say we got six options on the table. You know, somebody says, "I like option one, second." Well, I'll make a substitute motion for option three. Second. I'll make a substitute motion for option four. And you know, then you got to talk to four first. What's the vote? And if that fails, now you're back to whatever number I say in second. And then so it could get confusing. U >> well that that's what I was trying to say. Just give us one thing. We
080would vote yay or nay. We doing everything else. >> I mean I guess if theoretically we could list them all and and you vote for whatever option you want. But the understanding that any option would have to get five games to pass. Um, that's going to be a uh >> it would it be illegal >> monkey system too though >> to do this in an email to everybody? >> No, you can't do that. >> Okay. What are the ones that got the most vote on >> and go from there? >> I mean, if there's some other options that, you know, board members have, you know, file accounts, you know, like, you know, get get what get me, get with Dr. War, you know, we can, you know, help put that to write. You know, put
081that idea into writing and give you another option. Mr. Mash, like I mentioned, I've got notes about three things that are substantive edits that we can make. Uh my recommendation to you at this time would be to defer this schedule another executive and come back with additional options you know based upon today's feedback and uh any other feedback you want to send me and I'll have to kind of give a deadline. Please let me know of anything else by because you can always consider more the next time we make somebody on the committee. I I just want to make a comment in regards to political committees. Okay. Um still like to get some more information myself so I think do the right thing here. A constituent of mine reached out to me. He's part of
082a political committee [clears throat] and has stated a lot of good things to me that he's doing excuse me they are doing for our district as far as recognizing I can't say it word for word but he mentioned uh uh students in the career pathway uh scholarships different types of things and that he was approached about putting a sign up from one of the programs at our academy. Uh that is something that you know we we need to look at and and discuss. Um I would think these individuals on this committee are elected officials. Uh, I wouldn't think I would want to see. >> Not necessarily. >> They're not. >> They could be, but not just How does that work? I I just I just originally thought >> it's a committee that consisted of you
083elected to the committee. >> Okay. >> That doesn't mean that you're an elected official. to commit. Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. I was thinking great. I would think I would want any individual someone can also be a >> not necessarily. >> Okay. >> But the point >> Oh, you talking about the public, you mean? Yes. >> Okay. Um, thank you for that time, Miss I wouldn't, my opinion, I wouldn't want, you know, everybody in the community to to be able to have a sign of each individual person, but I wouldn't see where, you know, political committee benefiting our school district. Would it hurt to have a sign of just laboring the committee? I don't know. That's something probably we should discuss. >> We can always recognize scholarships given. I mean I do a scholarship every year
084saying the style you know you know it gets convoluted a little bit I think but um we can always recognize commitments that give scholarships or do whatever for our schools. Certainly, we're all appreciative, but that's a different to me than putting out the sign or handing out the sign. But anyway, whenever you give, >> you talking about individual >> at the school. Yeah. Whenever you give the scholarship at the school, they'll make the donation. He stands from wherever the check of whatever donation. I think that's just too much. Absolutely. >> Yeah. But I'm just say I just feel that's my opinion. >> Absolutely. >> I feel like it's too much. >> Okay. >> Too much for Jesus. >> Pastor Nothing's too much for Jesus. >> Mr. I think we have now that you brought this
085up as I read through these things. Evan, would a political action committee be considered one of these political committees? >> I would say, and I'm talking about registered actor. Arguably, you can say that it does fall within a permit. You know, it's I guess a recognized committee. I mean that solely exists for you know political reasons you know to support the candidates support you know platforms and all that but I think that would be the type of committee that why we wrote the committee here but again you know none of that has to be in there either. So again you know >> right and the reason I'm asking you know somebody asked earlier what parties or committees are out there so just doing a little quick searching like I mentioned everybody's familiar with Republican and
086Democrat other recognized parties right now are the Constitution party the Green Party the alliance party anytime you look at a presidential election ballot I can probably see 20 of them on on the battle of the war. But it made me think about political action committees, which that's a whole another arena of committees that are put together for the sole purpose of raising money to support candidates, oppose candidates, support positions or oppose positions. So I think we need to consider that as well because it's not just you say political committees are okay and all you got is little ones around. >> I mean that's another way either of these can be tweaked too. >> But I thought we were talking about elected. These pack committees are not electedly. It it doesn't matter whether they appointed or
087whether they are elected. >> Well, if they fall under what a political committee is. >> I think they all have to be registered. >> Yes. And that's what I'm talking about. Those ones that are registered cuz there's a whole bunch of them out there that's registered. But we can put that. That's another option. Yeah. We can put that specific table. That's right. >> Um Are we going to defer again to the next day? >> Well, we have the committee that someone would need to make a motion to do that. Second vote. Can't try to stay with me. >> [laughter] >> I'll make a motion to defer this [clears throat] to the next available executive committee with all three options uh with choices to exclude, elect or reelect, vote or propositions and also commit. >> Very
088good. Very good. All right. >> [laughter] >> All three need >> to to include all three options with discussion on black, green light or voting. for such a provisions are also committed. >> Mr. M would it be suitable for a motion that leads to defer to create a few more options and put those on the table? and and I do want you all have the ability to send me additional feedback too. >> Yes. second Defer. Okay. Real quick. >> We need the vote. >> Yeah. >> All in favor. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Motion. >> Next up, >> motion to adjurnn. Hi motion for Miss A second by Miss Holmes. Thank you. [laughter] >> Thank you all so much.