§ 16-38-6 - Restrictions on commercial activity and fundraising in public schools. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-38-6

   § 16-38-6  Restrictions on commercialactivity and fundraising in public schools. – (a) No public school official or public school employee shall, for any purpose,solicit or exact from any pupil in any public school any contribution or giftof money or any article of value, or any pledge to contribute any money orarticle of value. No public school teacher shall accept payment for tutoringdirectly from the parents of a student under his or her instruction. If ateacher is to be assigned and compensated as a tutor for a student under his orher instruction, the assignment and compensation must be through the schooldepartment pursuant to policies and procedures adopted by the school committee.Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to prohibit a teacher fromtutoring a student who is not concurrently under his or her instruction in thepublic school and receiving compensation for the tutoring from the parents ofthe student.

   (b) No commercial goods or services shall be sold to studentsin the public schools or on public school property, nor shall any commercialmaterials (flyers, literature, advertisements, commercial materials, orsolicitations) be sent home with students from the public school, except asauthorized pursuant to policies and procedures adopted by the local schoolcommittee, which shall, at a minimum, address the following:

   (1) The conduct and financial accountability of public schoolemployees and public school officials engaged in commercial activities for thebenefit of public schools;

   (2) The use of schoolchildren to deliver commercial materialsto parents.

   (c) Any approved fundraising activity shall be conducted on avoluntary basis and in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by theschool committee, which shall at a minimum, address the following:

   (1) The conduct and financial accountability of public schoolemployees and public school officials engaged in fundraising activities for thebenefit of public schools;

   (2) The specific circumstances, if any, for door to doorsolicitations and door to door sales by public school students for fundraising;

   (3) The use of schoolchildren to deliver fundraisingmaterials to parents.

   (d) The commissioner of elementary and secondary educationshall provide technical assistance to assist the school committees of theseveral towns and cities in the formulation of the local policies andprocedures mandated by this section.