WINFIELD - The superintendent of schools in Putnam County said Monday night he'd take the blame for allowing a fundraiser, which wasn't school-related, to be held last month at Hurricane High School.
Putnam school board members voted unanimously at their meeting Monday night not to retroactively approve of a charity basketball tournament for the Children's Miracle Network, which was held on Nov. 12 at Hurricane High's gymnasium.
Board member Rob Cunningham brought the issue to light on Monday, before his colleagues were tasked with approving a list of requests to use county facilities outside school hours. Cunningham said he previously had questioned Putnam Superintendent John Hudson about the tournament, as he has in the past received and - because of county policy - denied requests to use school facilities for similar events.
The county's policy "is very clear that if it's not affiliated with the school, the facility can't be used to make money," Cunningham said. For example, he added, "You can't open a business selling t-shirts at Hurricane High."
Hudson said that he discussed the issue with a lawyer before allowing the tournament to go forward and was told that the rules were different because the fundraiser was going to benefit a nonprofit organization.
"Apparently the board has discretion when it comes to approving a nonprofit," Hudson said. "If the board doesn't approve of it, it will be the superintendent has made an error and I have no problem taking fault for that."
Hudson noted that the state Department of Education doesn't prohibit outside fundraisers being held on school property.
Cunningham, though, said that the board shouldn't make an exception to the county's policy.
"We need to either amend [the policy] or hold tight on it," Cunningham said, before his fellow board members voted in support of his position. "I get a lots of calls from people asking, 'If someone from Hurricane did that, why can't I?'"
The event, which was advertised as a three-on-three tournament, charged teams of three $30 per entry. All of the money raised was donated to the Miracle Network, according to information online, but the concession stand was operated by Hurricane High.
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