FALMOUTH — School officials are reviewing rules on employees’ use of the district’s computers, email system and Internet access after two principals sent emails endorsing “school-friendly” candidates in last month’s local elections.

The emails were sent in May and June by Karen Boffa, principal of the former Plummer-Motz Elementary School; and John Flaherty, principal of the former Lunt Elementary School.

The School Board’s policy subcommittee began reviewing the nine-year-old rules on Monday night and raised the possibility of explicitly banning political activity on school computer equipment and systems.

“There’s a lot of gray language in there,” said Chris Murry, subcommittee chairman. “The intention is to make a clear delineation between one’s personal and professional life.”

The emails were sent during one of the most heated elections in town history, including a failed proposal to convert the former elementary schools into a community center and an expanded public library.

Boffa and Flaherty, who will be co-principals when the town’s new elementary school opens in September, sent the candidate endorsements from their school email accounts to their staff members and Superintendent Barbara Powers. About 140 people received the emails, copies of which were obtained by The Portland Press Herald.

In the emails, the principals asked Falmouth voters on their staffs to vote for Karyl Hazard, Analiese Larson and Lucy Tucker. Boffa described those candidates as “school-friendly” in her May 30 email. Flaherty said in his June 6 email that they “would have the greatest positive impact on our schools.”

The three endorsed candidates were in a six-way race for three seats on the board. The other candidates were Jan Andrews, Michael Doyle and Eydie Pryzant. Larson, Tucker and Andrews won.

In the four-way Town Council race, the principals endorsed Chris Orestis and Teresa Pierce, who were running against Jonathan Berry and Patricia Kirby. Orestis and Pierce won.

Flaherty sent what Powers called “a retraction” on June 9, and Boffa sent hers on June 13, on the eve of the June 14 election. Both said that they had “no intention to be involved in the political arena” or to offend anyone, and that they were trying to respond to many questions about the election.

The current computer and Internet policy prohibits use of school computer equipment and systems for private financial gain, commercial advertising or solicitation purposes. It also prohibits use “to solicit, proselytize (or) advocate” the views of an individual or non-school-sponsored organization, or to solicit membership or support for an organization that isn’t a professional educational organization.

“What they did was against the district’s rules,” said Doyle, one of the School Board candidates who wasn’t endorsed and lost the election. “I don’t think people should be advocating for or against a candidate who has the potential to be in control of their budget, their salary or their job.”

Andrews, who now sits on the policy subcommittee, said she wouldn’t let the principals’ emails influence her decisions.

The computer-use policy also prohibits threats, harassment, discrimination, copyright violation, obscenity, pornography and inappropriate communication with students or minors.

The policy states that employees who violate the rules may be disciplined, possibly fired. Asked after the meeting, Powers wouldn’t say whether the principals were disciplined, citing employee confidentiality.

Boffa and Flaherty weren’t at the meeting and couldn’t be reached for comment.

The policy puts the superintendent in charge of enforcing the rules and requires employees to sign a form acknowledging they have read it, but that hasn’t been done, Powers told the subcommittee.

Powers presented a draft of a new computer-use policy, provided by the district’s lawyer, that would address many members’ concerns.

Powers wouldn’t provide a copy to the newspaper, citing attorney-client privilege.

The subcommittee will continue its review of the computer use policy in September.

It likely won’t include discussion of the ethics of school employees publicly endorsing candidates or positions in local campaigns on their own computers and email accounts.

“That seems to be a common-sense thing,” Murry said after the meeting. “I don’t think we want to go there.”

“You always have to think about who you’ll be working with in the future,” said Larson, who is School Board chairwoman.

In the wake of the school email controversy, the Town Council has called for a review of municipal computer use rules.

Following Monday’s meeting, Powers said she will work with town officials to make sure school and municipal policies mesh.

Staff Writer Kelley Bouchard can be contacted at 791-6328 or at: kbouchard@pressherald.com