School Officials Defend Controversial Facilities Rule; Parents Say It Hinders Fundraising

Parents and PTA groups are questioning a Baltimore County school system policy that limits the use of school facilities for fundraising events at a time when they say the money is needed most.

Craft fairs, recycling events and community concerts are among the activities some Baltimore County parents say school officials are "banning" — or at least making troublesome to hold — through inconsistent application of a rule meant to limit the impact of non-school activities on school facilities.

The rule allows outside nonprofits and other community groups to use school facilities as long as they follow school system procedures and guidelines. The guideline causing controversy says that such groups "may not sublease or rent BCPS facilities and grounds to any other parties."

This irks some Parent Teacher Association groups, particularly ones that run their craft fairs by doing just that. The rule has been on the books since 1968 and was most recently revised in July 2010. But the school system has been enforcing it more in recent years, and turning down more facility requests.

Some endangered events include long-running craft fairs at Ridgely Middle School and Loch Raven High School, a town fair at Perry Hall High School and a recycling drive at Hillcrest Elementary School.

"We played by the rules for 29 years," Kay Hardisky, the chair of Ridgely's craft fair, told the Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night.

Parents argue that the rule has been inconsistently enforced and say it puts PTA groups in an awkward position.

The timing couldn't be worse, PTA groups say, because budgets are being cut in schools, and parent groups are being asked to pick up the slack for funding some programs.

Rita Hall, vice president of Catonsville High School's PTA, said that because the PTA couldn't hold the craft fair at the high school this year, it raised $7,000 less than usual.

According to school system statistics, facility use requests have shot up in recent years, from 1,181 requests in the 2004-2005 school year to a projected 5,010 for the current school year. Roughly half of them are from the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks under a joint-use agreement with the system.

At the same time, the number of requests turned down has grown exponentially, from 15 in 2004 to a projected 238 this year.

"We are not closing our facilities to the public," Superintendent Joe Hairston said. "We are just trying to find a way to manage [the demand]."

Michael Sines, the executive director for the school system's Office of Physical Facilities, told the board in a report Tuesday night that the millions of people who visit school property for non-school functions come with a price tag.

"All additional events add to the wear and tear of physical facilities, impact the operating budget and increase the responsibility for everyone who is accountable to ensure that we stay true to the core mission of the school system," he said.

While downplaying the extent of community concerns, Sines said, "When we do say 'no,' we do take a beating.

"The buildings are there to serve as educational platforms, not as commercial storefronts for a commercial vendor," he added.

But parents counter that many of the vendors at craft fairs are local shops and, in many cases, students.

Sines said some PTA groups get around the policy by buying crafts from an outside wholesaler, which some argue isn't really a better option. Parents also questioned if raising funds in other ways would be the best use of resources.

"If craft fairs no longer take place, the PTA will be forced to increase its direct donation and direct-sales programs. Children will be forced to go door to door to sell merchandise to strangers," said Alice Rhodes, a Timonium Elementary School parent. "How many more overpriced wrapping paper, pizzas and junk imported from China can we buy?"

Parkville High School parent Win Boyer said the school system lets unhealthy influences into schools, so questioned: Why not craft fairs?

"We are curious as to how flea markets and craft shows are more unhealthy than the unhealthy items in the vending machines," he said.

Several board members expressed concerns with the rule, too. Lawrence Schmidt, the board's only attorney, worried the rule's wording runs afoul of state law, which says the board "shall encourage the use of public school facilities for community purposes."

Some long-running activities that wouldn't pass muster under current policy, such as fireworks displays and carnivals, were grandfathered in, while others, like the Ridgely and Loch Raven craft fairs, were not allowed. Board member Meg O'Hare told Sines she found that "offensive."

"I find it discriminatory to smaller communities and to other communities," she said. "You've got only a few [events] down here, so some people have more rights than other people in the community, it looks like."