Morris School District
MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Morristown, New Jersey 07960

Policy
File Code: 1110
Monitored: X
Mandated:
Other Reasons X
MEDIA

The maintenance of good working relationships with the media is essential to meeting many objectives of the school-community relations program. Therefore, every effort shall be made to assist all communications media in the community to gain clear and complete coverage of the programs, achievements, planning, and activities of the school system.

General releases of interest to the entire district shall be made available to all the media simultaneously. There shall be no exclusive releases, news conferences or interviews except as individual media representatives request information on particular programs, plans, or problems.

In general, the Superintendent shall be responsible for establishing relations with news media and providing information to each through the means found most suitable. The Superintendent shall have ultimate responsibility for approving all information released to the media. Particularly, he/she shall ensure that the media receive all school profiles as required by the administrative code.

Building principals shall clear all proposed presentations with the Superintendent. Further, they will ensure that the parents/guardians of pupils who participate in such presentations have been informed of the activity and have provided written consent, especially if the students’ images are to be used. (See below.)

In order to insure that all information is accurate and up to date, all staff members (and students as well) shall refrain from granting interviews or supplying information, photographs, etc. to the media before such presentations are cleared with their immediate supervisor. (See below.)

The Superintendent or designee shall devise procedures which shall include the following:
  1. Staff members shall not give school information or interviews requested by representatives of the news media without prior approval of the Superintendent. The Superintendent’s secretary will then set up an appointment for this purpose which shall not interfere with the staff member’s daily activities;
  2. Pupils shall not be authorized to give official school information or interviews requested by representatives of the news media without prior approval of the Superintendent;
  3. The Superintendent’s representative shall be present at all meetings with news media representatives;
  4. The submission of photographs to news media, or permission for representatives of news media to photograph district subjects, personnel or pupils shall require prior authorization;
  5. Any photograph of a controversial or questionable nature, with regard to the individual’s right of privacy, shall not be sanctioned;
  6. In cases where there is doubt with regard to taste or privacy, but where it is felt that the publishing of the photograph serves a purpose which is in the best interests of the district, authorized use of the photograph shall not be given without first obtaining a release from the individual or individuals concerned or their parent/guardian.
The Board shall make a periodic review of its relations with the news media. (See Policy # 1000/1010, Item J.)

Date: April 14, 1986
February 12, 2001, First Reading
August 27, 2001 Approved

Legal References:
N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq. Open Public Meetings Act
N.J.S.A. 18A:10-6 Board meetings public; frequency; hours of commencement; adjournment, etc., for lack of quorum
N.J.S.A. 18A:11-1 General mandatory powers and duties
N.J.S.A. 18A:54-20 Powers of board (county vocational schools)
N.J.A.C. 6:8-2.1 Reporting Requirements
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.2 Definitions

Manual for the Evaluation of Local School Districts (August 2000)

Possible Cross References:
1100 Communicating with the public
9020 Public statements

Key Words
Media, School News Releases, Press Releases, News Conferences and Interviews, Radio, Television
 

Morris School District | 31 Hazel Street | Morristown, New Jersey | Phone: 973-292-2300
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