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District communications staff says public emergency feeds led to social‑media rumors; officials cite FERPA limits
Summary
After two recent medical incidents at high school, district staff told the committee that public emergency‑response codes were shared on community Facebook pages, prompting misleading posts; the district stressed privacy laws and explained plans to improve messaging and proactive updates.
The communications committee heard on Oct. 28 that two medical emergencies at district schools were publicized through an emergency‑response app and then posted to community social‑media pages, which in some cases identified the incidents as overdoses and raised alarms among families. Lisa, the district communications staff member, told the committee that dispatch codes are public‑facing and may use words like "overdose" or "heart attack" before responders confirm the cause.
"Those are public reports," she said, explaining that community members captured screenshots and posted them side‑by‑side on Facebook, creating concern that the incidents represented a broader trend. Lisa said the district cannot share individual medical details because of privacy rules but sought to calm families by posting principals’ messages and pointing stakeholders to the district's updated code of conduct and public reference materials.
Committee members raised concerns about tone and wording. One member suggested adding a sentence of compassion to a parent letter to balance legal language; Lisa noted that the district follows FERPA and will review messaging. She also said health departments (Chester County and Delaware County) are monitoring related illnesses such as walking pneumonia and the district will communicate if trends or official guidance warrant broader notification.
The committee did not take formal action; members and staff emphasized the need for clear, accessible, ADA‑compliant messages and agreed the communications team should continue to prepare rapid, fact‑based updates that respect privacy constraints.
