San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Board Policy 1250
Visitors
This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
The Board of Education believes that it is important for parents/guardians and community members to take an active interest in the issues affecting district schools and students. Therefore, the Board encourages interested parents/guardians and community members to visit the schools and support the public school system.
To ensure the safety of students and staff and to minimize interruption of the instructional program, the Superintendent will develop Administrative Regulations which facilitate visits during regular school days. The Regulations will adopt measures to respond to outsiders that avoid classroom interruptions and preserve the peaceful conduct of the school’s activities, consistent with local circumstances and practices.
A visitor is defined as any person who comes to a school site, not including the students and staff who are assigned to the school.
Notice
The Superintendent or designee shall post at every entrance to each school and school grounds a notice describing registration requirements, school hours or hours during which registration is required, the registration location, the route to take to that location, and the penalties for violation of registration requirements. (Education Code 32211; Penal Code 627.6)
“School hours” commence an hour before the first classes begin and extend through an hour after the last classes end at any school.
Registration
All visitors, including parents, law enforcement or immigration enforcement officers, must immediately sign in and register with the principal or designee at the school’s main office or other designated location, and receive proper authorization to be in the school. Visitors may be asked by the school site staff to display visitor badges as requested, and must comply with other reasonable regulations as defined in Administrative Regulation and individual school site policy or practice.
- Registration information may include, but is not limited to:
- Name, address, occupation
- Age, if over 21
- Purpose in entering school grounds
- Proof of identity
- Any other information as required by law.
Electronic Listening or Recording Devices
No electronic listening or recording device may be used in a classroom without the prior consent of the teacher and principal of the school, given to promote an educational purpose. This prohibition applies to all persons, including students. (Education Code 51512)
Denial or Withdrawal of Access
The Board encourages all individuals to assist in maintaining a safe and secure school environment by behaving in an orderly manner while on school grounds. The school site administrator/principal may deny or withdraw access to the school if the visitor willfully disrupts the orderly operation of the school; commits an act likely to interfere with the peaceful conduct of school activities; or reasonably appears to have entered the school for the purpose of committing any such act. (Penal Code 626.4, 626.7)
Any person who willfully disturbs any public school is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Education Code 32210).
Law Enforcement or Immigration Enforcement Officers
Immigration-enforcement officers or law enforcement (other than SFPD or SF Sherriffs) should notify the Superintendent or Legal Office in advance of entering an SFUSD school, as required by BP 5145.10. If officers show up directly to a school site, they must provide the registration information above and school personnel shall report their entry to the Superintendent and Legal Office for any unexpected or unscheduled visits, and follow the protocols of BP/AR 5145.10.
Policy SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: March 12, 2013 San Francisco, California