School board sets media rules

Ace, I beg to differ with you in one area. Businesses can and will prohibit you from talking to their customers and/or employees while you are on their premises, if they so choose. When you step through their doors, you are on private property and you are subject to their rules and guidelines.

 

I don't know if they are violating the law now, but the first time a member of the public or media attends a meeting and can't hear the vote and/or disccussion it is a violation.
I had a simliar situation with some local commission meetings. I had register a complaint with the city attorney.

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/openmtg.pdf
Page 6.. first two sentences.

 

The School Board has some dirty fucking hands to think up this rule.

But reporters have no business on school grounds trying to interview students. Once they cross the street, they are fair game, but stay off the grounds.

Shit, go to the f'ing mall. I'm sure a good number are there 30 minutes after school lets out.

 

If it's like our local mall, then make sure you get permission first.

 

True, but that doesn't mean you have to slink away. You can always interview employees or customers when they walk out or via phone or whatever. The store/business will get just as mad and act as if you are somehow being unfair.

 

Some school districts have a wide interpretation of school grounds and have gotten wacked out over interviewing athletes at practice.

Others have parents sign a blanket permission form in case their photo gets taken or whatever before the year.

Of course no reporter should be sneaking in a school talking to kids without permission during school hours.

 

The reason for the photo permission is for the one kid in 500 whose mother or father are hiding from a person who has hurt the child or the parent in the past.

 

In my early days years ago, we simply drove on campus to the field house or gymnasium and sauntered in to talk with the coaches for what might have been 30 minutes or two hours.

This typically was during the school day. If a kid or two was needed, he would call and get them out of class or I'd time my visit for the after-school practice. Most coaches were gracious to allow a few minutes during practice if necessary. Only a few declined, which was fine.

When schools went into lockdown and visitor's logs it helped to diminish opportunities to build relationships. There's a lot to be said for shooting the bull with coaches during a 4th period gym class when he's watching kids play volleyball, which can't be done as well three hours later when he's coaching his team on the practice field.

 

Last year, I had a photo shot of a kindergarten class. I got a panicked call a day or two later from the principal. It turns out that little Janie, who was standing next to the teacher in the back row, was in the situation described above. The photo was reshot.

As far as the three-hour and no-microphone rules, I hope the taxpayers raise holy hell when the school district loses the lawsuit.

 

It sucks that has to happen to a child, but there are a handful (10 percent) of "red folders" in records room that contain a piece of paper that states certain people are not to see this child.

 

You are both right:

* The media and the district should be talking and trying to work it out and if they cannot reach a deal, then lawyers should step in.

* The district IS WRONG here. What was there to be afraid of, Mr. Superintendent? Why the over-reaction?

 

Well, as "the media," when you start "talking and trying to work it out," you grant a presumption of at least some legitimacy to their position and you enter a negotiation process which will probably end halfway between your position (totally right) and theirs (totally wrong).