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Committee considers fraternization regulation to extend staff'student boundaries to social media; Dr. Mack to provide addendum
Summary
The committee reviewed a proposed fraternization regulation that would apply to district employees, volunteers, contractors and affiliates and recommended adding explicit language covering social media (posts, comments, direct messages). Dr. Freeman Mack will provide an addendum and staff scheduled a first reading.
At a September policy committee meeting, staff presented a proposed fraternization regulation that would clarify staff-student boundaries and explicitly extend to volunteers, contractors and other affiliates. Presenter Dr. Freeman Mack recommended adding a specific fourth bullet to cover social media activity, saying the regulation should address "all social media activity including post comments, direct messages, and other online communication" and that employees "must not engage in personal or nonprofessional interactions with students."
Peterson told the committee that the district already has a social media policy but that "the social media policy doesn't state it quite like this. And fraternization, I think that there's a thin line between it and kinda feel like we just need to create some protections for our students." Dr. Mack said she had met with NYSER and noted that many districts in the state are adopting fraternization policies.
When a board member asked about legal protections, a staff member advising the board said the district may restrict staff communication methods with students and require use of school-approved means because students are a protected group in this context. The committee discussed ensuring regulation language and policy language do not contradict each other.
Dr. Mack said she would send an addendum to the proposed regulation for staff review and Peterson recommended bringing the fraternization regulation back for a first reading at the September 30 meeting. There was no adoption at the meeting; staff will circulate the addendum and bring the regulation back at first reading.
