The Board of Trustees recognizes that the media significantly influences the public's understanding of school issues and can greatly assist the district in communicating with the community about school needs.
The Board respects the public's right to information and recognizes that the media has a legitimate interest in the schools and a responsibility to provide the community with news.
The Superintendent or designee shall coordinate the release of information concerning the district and the actions of the board.
Media representatives are welcome at all Board meetings and shall receive meeting announcements and agendas upon request.
Like all visitors, media representatives are required to identify themselves when they enter school grounds so as to avoid causing disruption or confusion. The principal or designee of each school shall provide the media with information relating to his/her school, including information about students awards, school accomplishments, and events of special interest.
District employees are encouraged to cooperate with members of the press, radio, and television. Employees should always make it clear that they are expressing their own personal viewpoints when so doing. They should not express viewpoints on behalf of the district unless they have been designated to do so.
Media representatives who wish to interview or photograph students at school are strongly encouraged to make prior arrangements with the principal so as to alleviate any possibility of disturbances on campus and to gain parent/guardian permission. This also allows the principal to arrange for interview times that will not interfere with the student's class attendance. Media may, with student's consent, interview or photograph student off campus.
Media representatives who disrupt, or threaten to disrupt, the school process can be excluded and prosecuted under relevant provisions of law (See Education Code 32210-32211).
The district shall not release information which is private or confidential as identified by law and Board policy or administrative regulation.
During a disturbance or crisis situation, the first priority of school staff is to address the situation at hand. At such times, media inquiries shall be routed to the Superintendent or designee, who shall:
1. Prepare an official statement responding to the particular situation.
2. Update the official statement as events unfold.
3. Keep staff and students well informed.
4. Provide an individual as soon as possible to assist the media in performing their duties.
Cooperative relations with the media are particularly essential as preparation for occasions when the district may ask the media to withhold nonconfidential information which might endanger one or more district students.
(cf. 9010-Public Statements)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
32210-32212 Willful disturbance of public school or meeting
35144 Special meetings
35145 Public meetings
35160 Authority of governing boards
35172 Promotional activities
EVIDENCE CODE
1070 Refusal to disclose news source
PENAL CODE
627-627.10 Access to school premises
COURT DECISIONS
Lopez v. Tulare Joint Union High School District, (1995) 34 Cal.App.4th 1302
ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS
95 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 509 (1996)
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
911: A Manual for Schools and the Media During a Campus Crisis, 2001
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Policy ANTELOPE VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: November 13, 1990 Lancaster, California
revised: September, 1992
revised: June 19, 1996