School rebuffs funds raised from politically charged baseball caps, draws 'cancel culture' criticism

Lincoln Public School's response to the sale of politically-charged baseball caps last month has led to charges that cancel culture and political double standards are alive and well in Lincoln.

Lincoln resident Steve Hartman leveled the accusations at the school after the administration - in response to his fundraising for the school by selling baseball caps critical of President Joe Biden - returned $1406 he had raised since 2019 to help buy an extra-large projector and screen the students could use to show movies in Hooper Park.

Hartman contends the school returned the money due to his political opinions, which were expressed on the baseball caps featuring the sarcastic acronym MATSA above the name Biden and the phrase "Make America the Sh*ts Again."

"I made it very public when I posted the ball caps online that the school didn't have anything to do with my fundraising efforts, however if people wanted to donate they could donate directly to the school. If they want to buy the hats they could send their checks directly to the school," Hartman told the BVD. "It's crazy to me the my personal politics, and that of most of Lincoln I might add, should be ground to a halt because someone - most likely a rabid Democrat - has complained to the point of the school dropping me."

Lincoln School Board President Aaron Birkholz admitted there was a response from some parents. He began getting messages almost immediately after the cap advertisement posted.

"Parents were fuming because they didn't want their kids associated with the political agendas going on right now. Either one of them," he said, adding the school district can't be affiliated with either political party.

Although both Lincoln School Superintendent Jennifer Packer and Birkholz believe Hartman's heart was in the right place when it came to supporting the school, and appreciated his efforts, they dispute the notion he was canceled because it wasn't his personal political views that prompted the decision. Packer said the instruction to make checks directly to the school was the main issue because it effectively tied the school directly to a partisan political statement and ran afoul of district policy and state law.

"We cannot accept politically generated donations under state law. It doesn't matter the content of the speech," Packer said, citing Montana Code Annotated 2-2-12. She said the same would apply if funds were raised from something expressing the opposite political sentiment.

Despite his disclaimer that the school had nothing to do with the fundraiser, Packer explained it could nevertheless be considered a politically generated donation. It may not have been Hartman's intention, but she said it could be construed that either the school sanctioned the sale of the caps and their message, or that Hartman had reason to believe the school district supported the partisan political opinion on them. In short, that could be interpreted as the school – a public entity – engaging in political speech.

The sale of the caps as a fundraiser for the school, even a private one, also violated School District Policy 7332, which addresses advertising and revenue enhancements. Under that policy, revenue enhancements can't, among other things, include obscenity, favor candidates or promote political organizations.

Hartman initially donated $250 to the Lincoln School's social entrepreneurship class in 2017. That class introduced the idea of raising money for the projector and screen, but brought just $400. Although Hartman contends his donation was specifically for that project, donations to classes aren't technically earmarked. Laura Allen-Bullis, the teacher of that class said his donation helped set up the Spring Color Rush, which was intended to be their big fundraising event but fell far short of their goal. Since the objective of the class was to teach kids to give back to the community, the students chose instead to donate what money they'd raised to Wendy Gehring in the wake of her daughter Tessa's death.

Nevertheless, Hartman felt the projector cause was a good one for the school and the community and began his own private fundraising effort. After purchasing property on Highway 200 between 6th and 7th Avenues in 2019, he created dry spaces for campers and RVs, asking guests to make their checks payable to Lincoln Public Schools.

"I like giving to the community," Hartman said. "It makes me feel more a part of the community and this was a way for me to accomplish that."

For tax reasons, Hartman said he wanted to be sure the money he raised went directly to the school, rather than through him. He even provided the only key to the money box at his campground to the school.

Aside from that first $250, Packer said all the money Hartman raised went into an endowment earmarked for the purchase of the projector and screen. The majority of that came from the RV camping fees but, again, directing people to make the checks out directly to the school turned out to be a problem.

After the hearing about the MATSA caps, Birkholz contacted the Montana School Board Association for additional guidance. During that conversation, he learned that the funds raised through the RV park, though not political, created an unforeseen liability issue for the school. The school isn't involved in building, maintain or insuring the property, but guests were making payments directly to Lincoln Schools, which could have been liable for anything happening on the property.

Ultimately, under school policy, the decision on how to handle Hartman's funds fell to Packer.

Given the legal and liability concerns, the fact he'd raised nearly enough money to purchase a projector and screen, and the fact the money in the endowment couldn't legally be spent on another project, Packer opted to return the entire amount. She said the $1406 was all the money he'd given the school in the last two year, since she started as superintendent.

Packer suggested in a letter accompanying the returned funds that he could purchase the equipment and donate that instead. She told the BVD that would have removed the politic and liability issues, and accomplished his goal.

For his part, however, Hartman remains highly perturbed by the decision. "I really care about this community and it just irritates the hell out of me that they would do this."

He also believes there is a double standard at play when it comes to political speech at the school. He's been told some teachers have been "indoctrinating" students with their personal political opinions in classes.

"I am really, really ticked over it," Hartman said.

In conversations with a number of parents and students, the BVD has learned there are concerns about teachers being overly vocal in sharing their political beliefs in class, allegedly even to the point of arguing with students. Packer said she's had a conversation with one teacher on the subject, but doesn't believe it's a widespread issue.

She said teachers can share their views, but are discouraged from doing so. "You have to be so careful. You have policies where you have the right to free speech, but it's a fine line between doing that and pushing your opinions on somebody else."

Under state law public employees can express their political views but legally can't solicit support for a political party or candidate while on the job.

Birkholz said formal complaints on the subject are rare. He said parents with concerns should speak to the teacher or the administration. If it continues, they can then bring their concerns to the school board.

Hartman still wants to help the kids in the community but has cut ties with the school and is dropping any further support for the institution. Instead, he has turned his attention toward the Lincoln Loggers wrestling club. Of the $1406 returned to him, he put $1000 toward the effort to fund new mats for the wrestlers, matching a donation put up by Hi Country Snack Foods.