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Tri-Township board president urges restraint on social media, reaffirms student-privacy rules
Summary
Board President Tim Guse read a formal statement warning against harassment of staff and families on social media, reiterated the district's legal limits on sharing student information, and said the district may use legal remedies, including trespass notices, to protect students and staff.
Tim Guse, president of the Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation board, opened the May 18 meeting with an extended statement addressing recent social-media criticism of school incidents and stressing the district’s legal obligations on student privacy.
“While the Board always welcomes constructive, respectful dialogue, it is necessary to clarify the boundaries of what we can and cannot discuss, and what we will and will not condone,” Guse said, reading an official statement. He emphasized that the board’s role is governance, not day-to-day management, and that individual board members do not have authority to hire or unilaterally alter employment terms.
Guse described the district’s chain of command for concerns: start with the classroom teacher, then the building principal, and then the superintendent. He added that federal privacy laws and the district’s legal counsel prohibit disclosing confidential student information. “We are not at liberty to share that information, nor will we ever,” he said, and later asserted, “We do not disclose confidential information about our students—period.”
The statement also warned that, when online behavior crosses into harassment or intimidation, administrators and law enforcement may pursue legal remedies to preserve campus safety, including trespass notices for disruptive individuals. Guse said board meetings are public but take place on school property, and the district’s primary obligation is to maintain a safe, disruption‑free environment.
Guse framed the remarks as both a legal clarification and a personal appeal. He noted his long service to the district and said the board expects public accountability but will not tolerate harassment of staff, students or family members. After the statement the meeting proceeded to regular roll call and agenda items.
Why it matters: The president’s statement reiterates the limits of school-board authority and affirms the district’s commitment to student privacy while signaling possible enforcement action against disruptive off-campus behavior that affects school operations.
