By Bill Short
The Millington School Board has revised an existing policy on final reading that prohibits the use of the school system’s name without the board’s approval.
Board members took the action during their Nov. 1 regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by C. J. Haley and seconded by Larry Jackson.
The motion was passed by four affirmative votes, with Marlon Evans, Chairman Chris Denson and Vice Chairman Barbara Halliburton absent.
Policy 1.807 was revised on first reading at the board’s Oct. 4 meeting. It was initially approved in March 2014.
It stated that no school or community organization, employee, student or other person can use the name of the school system or an individual school in any “promotional manner” or for “personal benefit” without the board’s prior approval.
James “Bo” Griffin, superintendent of Millington Municipal Schools, noted that the revision inserted the words “logo or mascot” into the policy statement.
In response to a question by board member Cody Childress, Griffin said he does not have an “issue” with someone creating shirts with the system’s name, logo or mascot imprinted on them, as long as it is not done for “personal gain.”
The superintendent acknowledged that the district has several teachers who do things for their students in their classrooms to promote school spirit.
“We just don’t want it for major profit without something going back to the kids,” he noted.
When Childress asked what will give the revised policy “legal status,” Griffin said the school district can trademark its name, logo and mascot.
“Trademarking would definitely take care of that,” he acknowledged. “That’s something that we need to look into. But this is the first step toward that.”
Board member Greg Ritter asked whether the school system is thinking about “grandfathering in” people who have already imprinted shirts for it.
Griffin said those individuals have been “very gracious in actually developing” some of those things to help the district.
“So, we would work with them in that situation,” he concluded.
