ARREST: Obey law, Cd’A schools

Years ago Sgt. Joe Friday on the TV program Dragnet was famous for always saying, “Just the facts, ma’am. Just the facts.” How about we apply the same theory to the recent arrest of a citizen distributing a sample ballot at Hayden Meadows?

Federal law for decades has decreed that no political campaigning can be done less than 100 feet from the front door of a polling location. The Coeur d’Alene School District granted permission for a polling location to be set up in Hayden Meadows and by implication agreed with this law. Maps were distributed by Kootenai County elections office to all voting locations.

The person distributing the sample ballots was outside the restricted space. The Superintendent’s office on their own decided that they would not allow anyone anywhere on school property to give out political information and called police to arrest this citizen. They insisted that the person had to be 100 feet from school property, totally violating federal law that they knew or should have known when they gave permission for this school to be used for voting.

Is the Coeur d’Alene School District permitted to violate federal law whenever they wish? What other rights do they feel they can take away from private citizens? Does the school system own the land in trust with the public from which they derive their sustenance or do they no longer have an obligation to the public once they get paid?

MICHAEL GLASS

Hayden