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Book Policy Manual
Section 0000/1000 - Community/Board Operations
Title News Media Relationships
Code 1112
Status Active
Adopted February 13, 2001
Last Revised March 12, 2019
NEWS MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS
Because schools are public institutions serving the educational needs of the community, it is important that
information be disseminated concerning programs, activities, and significant school events. To ensure that this
publicity be given wide coverage and coordinated with a common effort and purpose, the following procedures
shall be followed with news media:
1. The Board of Education Chairperson shall be the official spokesman for the Board. The Superintendent of
Schools may report on actions of the Board.
2. News releases of a system-wide nature, or which pertain to established school system policy, are the
responsibility of the Superintendent and will be issued through his/her office.
3. News releases which are of concern to only one school, or to an organization of one school, are the
responsibility of Principals. Principals shall follow the parent/caregiver consent guidelines for allowing
students to be interviewed or photographed by the media.
,with the exception of those in executive session,
4. Board meetings to which the public has access may be photographed, broadcast, or recorded for broadcast
by any newspaper, radio broadcasting company, or television broadcasting company. This is subject to the
following guidelines:
A. News media personnel who intend to photograph, broadcast, or record for broadcast the
proceedings of any public meeting of the Board of Education shall provide appropriate identification
to the Superintendent of Schools, if requested by the Superintendent, prior to said meeting of the
Board.
B. Only news media personnel employed by a news outlet, radio or television broadcasting company,
or personnel of a recognized student news medium assigned to cover the proceedings of a Board of
Education public meeting shall be permitted to photograph, broadcast, or record for broadcast, such
proceedings.
C. Any photographer, broadcaster, or news journalist authorized by an employer or student news
medium to photograph, broadcast, or record for broadcast, proceedings at a public meeting of the
Board of Education, and any personnel associated with said photographer, broadcaster, or news
journalist, shall photograph, broadcast, or record for broadcast proceedings of said meeting as
inconspicuously as possible and in such a manner which doesn't disturb proceedings.
D. If, in the judgment of the Chairperson of the Board of Education, the presence at a Board meeting
of any photographer, broadcaster, or news journalist causes such disruption that orderly conduct of
the public business at such meeting becomes unfeasible, access by these individuals may be limited
to the extent necessary to remove disruption.
Legal Connecticut General Statutes 1-226 Recording, broadcasting, or photographing
meetings.