MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Wednesday, the Manchester Board of School Committee (BOSC) Policy Committee tabled a proposal to amend the Manchester School District’s media policy.
Manchester School District Attorney Kathryn Cox Pelletier told the committee the amendment would have allowed school district employees to talk to the media, but would have required them to direct any media requests to a designee of the superintendent before talking to the media in their official capacity as school district employees.
Currently that designee is Manchester School District Director of Communications and Community Relations Andrew Tolland, but the term “designee” was used in case of future changes to the district’s organizational structure.
The policy prohibits school district employees from revealing any private information about students.
BOSC Student Representative Kellan Barbee liked the proposed amendment and felt that it should be recommended on Wednesday night, although he felt that an additional amendment to the policy specifying social media should be added in the future.
Ward 11 BOSC Member Dr. Nicole Leapley felt that the proposal unduly impeded the rights of staff members and was concerned that the need to reach out to administrators.
She also questioned the feasibility of the policy, asking if coaches would need to wait for approval to talk to reporters after sporting events.
Pelletier said that the proposal served as a foundation and thanked the committee for their oversight role in vetting the idea, adding that a modified proposal would be presented to the committee next month.