Committee advances new text-messaging privacy policy to allow Zoom-phone texting for staff

The Springfield Township SD policy committee on Sept. 29 advanced a new text-messaging privacy policy (Policy 815.3) to allow staff who use district Zoom phones to send text messages in a manner compliant with federal law and vendor requirements.

Why it matters: the district has rolled out Zoom phones to replace district handsets, and staff have asked about texting capabilities. District staff said there was no existing text-messaging privacy policy that meets Zoom's requirements and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and that adopting a district policy will allow staff to use Zoom phones in a compliant way.

Key points: district staff described the policy as focused on staff usage of Zoom phones; it is primarily intended to address adult-to-adult communications and mass-texting compliance under federal law. Mr. Lutz said the policy is structured to comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and that the district is treated similarly to a business for that law's purposes. The committee clarified that student conduct and staff-student texting remain governed by student-discipline and other existing policies; this policy is not intended to change those rules.

Outcome: Committee members present agreed to proceed; because it is a brand-new policy it was designated for two readings.

Ending: Staff will post the policy on the district website once adopted and will apply it to staff who use Zoom phones; the committee requested continued monitoring of operational impacts and compliance.