More on Westfield Tag Day.
Remember that the parents were presented with an FCPS permission form for this event? That makes it a school-sponsored event. As you can see from the RM-34, a Booster-sponsored event cannot use school forms. There are references to "co-sponsorship" in the RM-34 but nobody can produce a definition of that term. Probably because if you look at the criteria for sponsorship, the descriptions are mutually exclusive. Boosters can't use school forms. So, if school forms are used, it is school-sponsored.
Use of letterhead or staff to advertise or convey any information about the event is also prohibited with a Booster-sponsored event.
So, now we have the information the students passed out on Tag Day. While there isn't an FCPS logo on the information, the top of the form says "Westfield High School Music Department" and this is signed by the principal (Dr. Copeland) and three music teachers (in addition to the Guard instructor and the Co-Presidents of the Booster club). The Booster club is not part of the Westfield High School Music Department, the principal has signed this form, so this is basically FCPS letterhead and the action of a public official.
Remember that Dr. Copeland could not provide any proof that he or his predecessor approved this field trip that was offered on the field trip permission form that all students and their parents had to sign in order for the children to participate in this event? Yet, his signature is on this form, which makes this HIS field trip.
To top it off, the money is directed to go to a Booster club. Since when does a public official use school letterhead to raise money for a Booster club, and use a school-sponsored event to put money into a Booster bank account? Money associated with a school-sponsored event is school activity funds, which are required to be processed in internal accounts. Principals are not allowed to let school activity funds be given to a non-profit, even if the purpose is to benefit the school. R5810, Page 14 C.1. It has been this way for many, many years. Nothing new. It was also in the old R5810.
The school system is supposed to have all the records pertaining to this Tag Day in their internal accounts, so the school system is thus the custodian of all the records pertaining to this Tag Day, no matter who has them in their possession. So, bank and other records were obtained from the Booster club, avoiding another potential Writ. Lucky for them. Glad they finally figured that out. The records pertaining to exactly what the money was used for are also public record.
This is such a mess.
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