Partisan Campaign Signs in MVHS

Went to pick up my daughter last night from a chorus event at Manchester Valley High School and was greeted by Hillary Clinton's bright shiny face plastered in the hallway. Looked like a student made poster, but I didn't see any other for any of the other candidates.... this was the only one in the main hall in a prominent place right past the administrative office. Looked like a pretty blatant attempt to send a message to the kids to me.... just fired off a letter to the school Principal.... if I don't get a good answer, next letter will be to the Board of Education and my State legislators.

They aren't even trying to hide the bias anymore.

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Good morning, Principal Clowes,

I made my first visit to MVHS last night (my children have transferred to your school this year). While waiting to pick up my daughter from the chorus event, I noticed a large "Vote for Hillary Clinton" sign posted in the main corridor above the glass double doors just past the main office. I did not, however notice any signs for any of the other three presidential candidates, or any generic signs geared at encouraging participation in the electoral process and this struck me as odd.

Since I didn't get a chance to go very far beyond the main entrance way, I assumed that there are other similar posters for other party candidates at other locations at the school, but I wanted to check with you before elevating my concerns. While I am 100% in favor of educating our children in a non-biased way about the election, the issues, and the candidates, as well as their responsibilities as good citizens to exercise their right to vote, the one-sided image of this single poster was concerning to me.

If in fact there there are not posters for other candidates (equal time, if you will) throughout the school, then at best, this could be considered a school endorsement of a single candidate, and at worst it is indoctrination. I would strongly encourage that the school switch to non-partisan voter education so as not to create the appearance of party endorsements in a public institution. I hope that you can shed some additional light on this mater.

Thank you,
Dr. M.

I'll be watching to see how Thomas Clowes responds to this.

I have had some rather detailed interaction with him as a parent of a student while he was at Liberty.

In my opinion, he is a very fair minded man. I would say that even when he is right though, he can be pressured into submission by his superiors to make questionable decisions.

I feel that campaign posters endorsing ANY candidate should not be a part of school. Teach the voting process, the purpose of it, and the responsibility of being an informed voter...but leave the candidates out of it, unless it is an unbiased discussion that gives equal factual scrutiny to each and every candidate running. Teachers Unions are far from unbiased in my experience.

On a side note since you have a youngster at MVHS, Lea Nappier is a simply awesome school counselor.

I got a fairly rapid response from him this morning. I'm satisfied with his explanation (although I think that most of us know that there are 4 candidates on the ballot, not 3). Still a bit miffed that walking down the main corridor all you see is the former Sec of State.... but I'll use this as a moment that teaches with my kids. There were other parents taking note of this last night, so I'm guessing that mine is not the only e-mail he got on the subject.

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Dr. M

We are holding a school wide mock election on Monday 10/31. Our political science class has been campaigning throughout the last week or so for the election. I have approved and assisted students in putting up posters for all 3 candidates. I did not count the numbers of posters that were put up.

Secondly, yesterday during the lunch mods the three candidates were in the cafeteria “campaigning” for the upcoming election.
On Monday, the junior class and senior class will participate in a debate with all three candidates.

I can assure you that all three candidates have posters up and are given equal time during the campaigning process. MVHS does not, nor will not endorse any one of the candidates. The hope is, with all of these activities, that the students learn something about the political process and for those that are able take part in our democratic process.

I will go around and check to make sure that the candidates are equally representated.

Hopefully I have answered your concerns. Should you have any further questions, please call me at 410-386-1673.

Tom

Thomas Clowes
Principal
Manchester Valley HS
3300 Maple Grove Road
Manchester, MD 21102

Seems fair enough.