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Trustees advance social‑networking policy after questions about reposting and parental permission
Summary
The school committee advanced a first read of a staff social‑networking policy after discussion about whether staff could reshare district posts, parental permission for student work, and the policy's language on non‑district apps.
The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee held a substantive discussion on GBEBD, the district’s employee social‑networking policy, and advanced it as a first read after staff agreed to a minor wording change to clarify reposting versus personal posting.
Jackson (policy lead) said the policy had been revised after staff feedback and that an accompanying form will allow staff to connect club and organization pages to district accounts. Trustees pressed staff on whether club Instagram pages would lose independence and whether teachers could post student work without parental permission.
"So right now, every group club... they all have their own Instagrams that aren't connected to ours. So what this is going to do is connect those with us," Jackson said, explaining that a French club’s posts could also publish to the high school account when linked. Committee members asked for clearer wording to ensure staff could reshare district posts while not posting student images on personal accounts. Staff agreed to add a clarifying sentence before the policy returns for a second reading.
Members also discussed parental permission for posting student work and whether the district could use a single annual opt‑out in student paperwork; staff said parents can request that the district not post a child or that their work not be posted, and that the opt‑out process is handled annually.
The committee advanced the policy as a first read with direction to tighten language and return it for a final vote.
