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Board discusses social‑media opt‑out language; administration to finalize form
Summary
Board members debated revisions to policy 8.15.1 governing photos, videos and live streams of students. Members agreed to retain a reference to a district media‑release form in policy and asked administration to produce a standalone social‑media opt‑out form as an administrative guideline for board review.
Unionville‑Chadds Ford School District trustees discussed changes to policy 8.15.1 (photos, videos and live streams of students) during their Aug. 11 work session and asked administration to prepare a distinct media‑release/opt‑out form for board review.
Policy chair Michael Allen and Director of Policy Dr. Ryder explained that the current practice uses the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) notice to allow families to opt out of district social‑media postings. Allen said the board should decouple social‑media permissions from FERPA and create a separate district media‑release form so families can more clearly opt in or opt out of social‑media use while preserving yearbook participation.
“Using a different dedicated social‑media release form will ... provide further privacy protections,” Allen said, recommending that the board table substantive policy changes until an administrative form is developed and returned for second reading.
Board members discussed alternatives. Some trustees preferred approving updated policy language at next week’s meeting and then allowing administration to revise the administrative guideline when the new form is ready. Others favored tabling to permit administrators time to produce the form and the associated procedures before final policy approval.
Administrators and board members also discussed broader questions about district strategy for social media and digital safety, including potential training on emerging risks (for staff and parent volunteers) and a proposed communications audit to review social‑media practice alongside other district communications.
The board left the policy text largely intact for the Aug. 18 regular meeting with a plan to clarify the policy reference to a district media‑release form and to return an administrative guideline (the standalone social‑media opt‑out form) to the board for approval when it is drafted.
Clarifying points: - The current opt‑out option remains available via the FERPA notice as an administrative guideline; the board asked administration to create a dedicated social‑media release/opt‑out form and to return it as an administrative guideline for board consideration. - No final policy vote occurred at the Aug. 11 work session; the board expects an item on the Aug. 18 regular meeting agenda with language modifications and an administrative form to follow.
