AUBURN - The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education Policy Committee took out the proverbial red pen Monday night to edit a revised ethics policy.
On the chopping block was a section dealing exclusively with governing the relationship between the board and the press in that board members are not to initiate communication with the media.
Committee Chair Ginny Kent suggested instead that the statements regarding the relationship with the media would be better suited in a policy dealing with community relations.
“We have language in the (ethics) policy that addresses the board and the media,” she said, “but we don't have a media relations policy for the board in the public information - we don't have any language there right now.”
Using language she obtained from her previous school board training, Kent suggested the committee add a paragraph to the Public Information Policy defining the relationship with the media.
Under this revision, the board president would be the board spokesperson when the board is making a statement on the issue. The board leadership could also designate another board member to be a spokesperson on an issue when appropriate.
Additionally, board members, when questioned by reporters, should indicate that they are speaking as private citizens and not as board members unless empowered by the board to speak on its behalf.
Kent said reporters need board members to get information.
“I think the onus is on us to give the media and the community more good relevant, substantiated information, and by doing this, it's with the leadership. They can craft how we move forward.”
Committee members David Lansford and Susan Scheuerman both agreed, though Scheuerman said she had reservations of going outside the board hierarchy when communicating with the press, even when the board leadership designates her as a spokesperson for a specific issue.
Lansford called the suggestion “shrewd,” and said it “focuses the responsibility on the district leadership and gives us a clear way of communicating with the press and media in general.”
The committee plans on scrutinizing the public information policy and the added paragraph to make sure it fits with Auburn.
The committee also looked at various suggestions made to the ethics policy by board member Joe Leogrande to make him feel more comfortable with its content.
Leogrande levied heavy criticisms of that policy last week, saying the policy would stifle free speech and close communications with the media. He also linked the ethics policy to another proposed policy that would empower the board to remove a board member if there was a flagrant ethical breach, saying that it would effectively circumvent the rights of voters.
The committee will not look at that policy until next month, at the earliest.
While Lansford said he disagreed with many of Leogrande's suggestions - he also added that speech is naturally constrained as a school board member because those officials understand there is a job to do - and wanted to make a decision about them on Monday.
Scheuerman advocated for the whole board to review the suggestions and provide feedback. She said the public has taken issue with the proposed policy and discussing the suggestions publicly would show the community they are considering everything.
The committee ultimately decided to e-mail board members the changes to the proposed policy along with Leogrande's suggestions, and allow members to return feedback prior to the next board meeting on Sept. 23.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
Committee Chair Ginny Kent suggested instead that the statements regarding the relationship with the media would be better suited in a policy dealing with community relations.
“We have language in the (ethics) policy that addresses the board and the media,” she said, “but we don't have a media relations policy for the board in the public information - we don't have any language there right now.”
Using language she obtained from her previous school board training, Kent suggested the committee add a paragraph to the Public Information Policy defining the relationship with the media.
Under this revision, the board president would be the board spokesperson when the board is making a statement on the issue. The board leadership could also designate another board member to be a spokesperson on an issue when appropriate.
Additionally, board members, when questioned by reporters, should indicate that they are speaking as private citizens and not as board members unless empowered by the board to speak on its behalf.
Kent said reporters need board members to get information.
“I think the onus is on us to give the media and the community more good relevant, substantiated information, and by doing this, it's with the leadership. They can craft how we move forward.”
Committee members David Lansford and Susan Scheuerman both agreed, though Scheuerman said she had reservations of going outside the board hierarchy when communicating with the press, even when the board leadership designates her as a spokesperson for a specific issue.
Lansford called the suggestion “shrewd,” and said it “focuses the responsibility on the district leadership and gives us a clear way of communicating with the press and media in general.”
The committee plans on scrutinizing the public information policy and the added paragraph to make sure it fits with Auburn.
The committee also looked at various suggestions made to the ethics policy by board member Joe Leogrande to make him feel more comfortable with its content.
Leogrande levied heavy criticisms of that policy last week, saying the policy would stifle free speech and close communications with the media. He also linked the ethics policy to another proposed policy that would empower the board to remove a board member if there was a flagrant ethical breach, saying that it would effectively circumvent the rights of voters.
The committee will not look at that policy until next month, at the earliest.
While Lansford said he disagreed with many of Leogrande's suggestions - he also added that speech is naturally constrained as a school board member because those officials understand there is a job to do - and wanted to make a decision about them on Monday.
Scheuerman advocated for the whole board to review the suggestions and provide feedback. She said the public has taken issue with the proposed policy and discussing the suggestions publicly would show the community they are considering everything.
The committee ultimately decided to e-mail board members the changes to the proposed policy along with Leogrande's suggestions, and allow members to return feedback prior to the next board meeting on Sept. 23.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
The Citizens' Say
There are 1 comment(s)
PDT wrote on Sep 16, 2008 2:55 PM:
Whether a member of Congress or a state legislature or the city council or the woman on the street, all can speak their minds.
Since not every citizen can attend board meetings the press represents the public.
The only reason school board members want to silence someone is so they can take action in secret. What is it they want to do? "