AUBURN - The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education Policy Committee scrutinized a policy dealing with community relations and the board's relationship to the press during a meeting Tuesday.
Committee Chair Ginny Kent and members David Lansford and Susan Scheuerman eyed the district's 6-year-old Public Information Policy, which specifies the district and board's obligation to developing and maintaining accurate communication - supportive or critical of the district - with the public and press.
On Tuesday, the committee added a section to the policy in order to clarify the relationship between the district, board and news media.
Using language she obtained from her previous school board training, Kent suggested the committee revise the policy to reflect that the district superintendent would be the spokesperson for the district and school matters and the board president would be the board spokesperson on board matters.
The district and board leadership could also designate another district representative or board member to be a spokesperson on issues 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.
Scheuerman and Lansford were receptive to the suggestion, with Scheuerman's feedback dealing only with grammar and not content.
The additional language derives from a September committee meeting, during which the three members removed a section dealing with the press from a revised ethics policy.
At the time, Kent said such discourse - which stated that board members were not to initiate communication to the media but were free to answer questions if approached by reporters - was better suited in a policy having to do with community relations.
The ethics policy, which later was approved by the board by a 7-1 vote, was highly criticized by board member Joe Leogrande, who lambasted his fellow board members - even after the removal of the press section - and said the policy would stifle free speech.
During Tuesday's meeting, Lansford said parts of the original public policy were redundant and had grammatical errors. He offered to shore up the language, but not alter content, before the board conducts a first reading.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
On Tuesday, the committee added a section to the policy in order to clarify the relationship between the district, board and news media.
Using language she obtained from her previous school board training, Kent suggested the committee revise the policy to reflect that the district superintendent would be the spokesperson for the district and school matters and the board president would be the board spokesperson on board matters.
The district and board leadership could also designate another district representative or board member to be a spokesperson on issues 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.
Scheuerman and Lansford were receptive to the suggestion, with Scheuerman's feedback dealing only with grammar and not content.
The additional language derives from a September committee meeting, during which the three members removed a section dealing with the press from a revised ethics policy.
At the time, Kent said such discourse - which stated that board members were not to initiate communication to the media but were free to answer questions if approached by reporters - was better suited in a policy having to do with community relations.
The ethics policy, which later was approved by the board by a 7-1 vote, was highly criticized by board member Joe Leogrande, who lambasted his fellow board members - even after the removal of the press section - and said the policy would stifle free speech.
During Tuesday's meeting, Lansford said parts of the original public policy were redundant and had grammatical errors. He offered to shore up the language, but not alter content, before the board conducts a first reading.
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 2 comment(s)
PDT wrote on Oct 22, 2008 10:23 AM:
If a board memebr is asked a question he or she does not stop being a board member. They may not speak for the entire board, but they do speak as a board member. "
PDT wrote on Oct 22, 2008 10:20 AM:
If a board member is asked a question he or she doesn't stop being a board member. They may not speak for the entire board, but they do speak as board members. "