1112.5

Community Relations

Media Access to Students

The Board recognizes the important role the media serves in reporting information about the district's program, services and activities.  Therefore, the district will make every reasonable effort to provide media access to students.

School administrators shall be authorized to grant permission and set parameters for media access to students in their respective schools.  Building administrators shall inform the Superintendent any time news media personnel are present at the schools. Such notification shall include the stated purposes of the news media visitor.  The media may interview and photograph students involved in instructional programs and school activities including athletic events provided their presence will not be unduly disruptive and shall comply with Board policies and district goals.

Media representatives shall be required to report to the administration for prior approval before accessing students involved in instructional programs and activities not attended by the general public. For activities attended by the general public, including school athletes and performing arts events, permission shall not generally be required.

Media representatives wishing to photograph or identify particular students, must obtain parental or guardian approval.  Such permission shall not be required before photographs, videotapes, and/or articles referring to students involved in athletic and performing arts events may be published.

Parents who do not want their student interviewed, photographed or videotaped by the media shall inform the school Principal accordingly.

Information obtained by media representatives directly from students does not require parental approval prior to publication by the media.  Parents who do not want their student interviewed or photographed by the media may direct their student accordingly.

District employees may release student information to the media only in accordance with applicable provisions of the education records law and Board policies governing directory information and personally identifiable information.

Parents will be advised of the district's media access to student's policy at the time of the student's registration and each fall in the student/parent handbook. At the time of registration parents will have the option of granting permission for their students to be photographed or videotaped. If the permission form is not completed by the parent/guardian then permission to be photographed or videotaped will not be granted. Parents may change their students' permission at any time.

(cf. 5125 - Student Records; Confidentiality)

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

1-213 Access to public records. Exempt records.

10-209 Records not to be public.

Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Sec. 438, 20 U.S.C. Sec 1232g (1988).

Title I - Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act. (PL 105-17)

Policy adopted: