No. 911
ROSE TREE MEDIA
SCHOOL DISTRICT
SECTION:
COMMUNITY
TITLE:
NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS
ADOPTED:
February 28, 2002
REVISED:
January 25, 2007
911. NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS
1. Delegation of
Responsibility
The Superintendent and his/her designee are to be the only official spokespersons of
the district. The Superintendent or designee shall coordinate the release of
information concerning the district and the actions of the Board. The Board
President or his/her designee will be the official spokesperson for the Board. All
media inquiries, other than those to Board members, shall be routed to the
Superintendent or designee. Upon request, other staff may be asked to talk to the
media as official representatives of the district, depending on the circumstances.
All employees and Board members have the right to talk to the media, and the right
to refrain from talking to the media. However, unless the employee/Board member
has been asked by the Board or the district to talk to the media, s/he should indicate
that the views expressed are his/her own views and not necessarily those of the
district or the Board.
2. Guidelines
The media are welcome to attend any public Board or district committee meetings
and will be provided copies of the agenda and/or backup information upon request.
At Board meetings, space will be provided for media representatives. Should
members of the media have questions about obtaining materials or about the
meetings, they may contact the Board Secretary or the Superintendent’s office.
Pol. 801
The media have a right of access to all public documents under the Public Records
Act. The district shall not release information which is privileged from disclosure or
confidential by law, without prior Board authorization.
The Superintendent or designee and principal or designee of each school may
provide the media with information related to district programs and needs, student
awards, school accomplishments and events of special interest.
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911. NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS - Pg. 2
Access To Schools
While the district appreciates the role of the media and will cooperate with the media
in their efforts to fulfill that role to the extent possible, the district's primary
responsibility is to its students and their parents/guardians, to provide a solid
education and a secure and safe educational environment. The district will maintain
a responsible balance between these two (2) roles.
The Superintendent, designee, or school principal has the authority when deemed
necessary to take such action as is reasonably needed to maintain order, continuity of
instruction, and assure a safe educational environment, including but not limited to,
closing the campus to all persons other than students, district staff or law
enforcement officers.
Representatives of the media are welcome on school campuses, subject to Board
policy and these regulations:
1.
During special school events open to the public such as open houses, public
performances, and sporting events, members of the media are welcome to attend
without any requirements for advance notification or checking in at the office.
However, if any special arrangements are needed, such as access to electrical
outlets or other types of needs, those should be arranged with the school or
Superintendent’s office in advance. The school district will work with the media
to enable it to cover the event, and it is expected that the media will work with
the district to avoid any undue disruption. Media representatives are encouraged
to wear badges identifying them as members of the media.
2.
Representatives of the media who desire to have access to school sites during
times when students are present, other than for public events, need to obtain
permission from the school principal or person in charge of the school in the
absence of the principal, or Superintendent’s office. Members of the media will
be welcomed and permission will be granted if the purpose of the visit is
consistent with the school's educational purpose, and school officials believe the
visitor's presence on campus will not disrupt the school or threaten the safety of
students or staff. To ensure minimum interruption of the regular classroom
program, classroom visits will be first arranged with the teacher and principal or
designee. Administrators should be familiar with the guidelines issued by the
Superintendent to assist them in determining whether the stated purpose is
consistent with the school's educational purpose. Administrators may not deny
access based upon the anticipated story, nor should the determination be
delayed as a means of denying timely access.
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911. NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS - Pg. 3
Pol. 235
3.
In order to assure that the school campuses are safe, all media representatives
need to check in at the school office upon arrival on the campus, and to furnish
upon request their name and business affiliation and be prepared to show
identification. The principal may decide whether the media representative
should be escorted by a district staff member.
4.
Media representatives who have been granted access to be on a school campus
may photograph, film, and conduct interviews within the following guidelines:
a.
Representatives may not disrupt the educational program or school activities
and may not enter classes in session except with the explicit permission of
the principal or designee.
b.
The interview, photographing or filming must be related to the stated
purpose of the visit. The media may not question students on campus on
subjects that the district is legally prohibited from asking them pursuant to
state or federal law. These restricted subjects include questions about the
student's personal beliefs or practices in sex, family life, morality, and
religion or the parents'/guardians' beliefs and practices in sex, family life,
morality, and religion.
c.
Subject to the media representative's visit to a school site being consistent
with the school district's educational purpose and the reason for which the
media representative has requested to be at the school, staff may provide the
name of a student, the grade level, honors, activities and the name of the
school the student attends, unless the student's parent/guardian has
submitted a written request to the school requesting that such information
not be disclosed. No other access to student records or personally
identifiable student information may be provided without written
parent/guardian permission.
d.
If the media representative desires to photograph students while on campus,
s/he must make arrangements with the principal or school administrator. The
purpose of this is to protect the privacy and safety of students since, for
example, there are students whose school attendance is concealed from a
parent/guardian under domestic violence restraining orders. There may also
be students whose parents/guardians have indicated to the school that they
do not want their child(ren) questioned or photographed by the media.
e.
Students or staff have the option to agree or not to be interviewed or
photographed. Principals/Designees may advise students and staff of this
right.
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911. NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS - Pg. 4
f.
Prior written parental permission is necessary to photograph, film or
interview special education students.
g.
Students who choose to speak with media representatives approved to be on
campus may do so without district restraint on the students' right of free
speech. Parents/Guardians may decide whether or not they want their
child(ren) to communicate with media representatives, and may inform the
school in writing of their objection to such communication or to having their
child's picture taken by the media. The school will attempt to honor such
requests.
Staff and students shall not touch news media representatives, cameras or recording
equipment, unless invited to do so.
Disruptions
Whenever in the professional judgment of the principal or person in charge of the
school a disruption to the educational program or a threat to the safety of students or
staff is occurring or is or may be imminent, the principal/designee has the authority
to close the campus to anyone other than students, staff and law enforcement, or
such other persons as may be needed for the assistance of the school. Any visitor,
including a media representative, who is requested to leave the school grounds must
depart promptly. In such circumstances, the Superintendent or his/her designee will
work with the media to arrange access to information and persons with whom the
media may talk, while ensuring that the principal is in charge of the school and is
able to take such action as is needed under the circumstances.
References:
School Code - 24 P.S. Sec. 510
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