Keeping Your School Out of the Midterm Election Crossfire

Picture this. It's the last week of October, and a principal gets a text from a board member with a screenshot attached. A candidate for state senate has posted photos from a visit to the school's robotics lab, captioned with a campaign slogan. The school's logo is clearly visible on a student's shirt in the background. The visit had been approved weeks ago as a "legislator tour," and nobody thought to ask what would happen to the photos. By lunch, the comments have turned into a debate over whether the school is picking sides.

Most election-season controversies start this way for schools. It's rarely a bold political statement. It's usually a small decision that nobody thought was political at all.