BCSC seeks to update district staff’s social media policies

Bartholomew Consolidated Schools are updating the social media policy governing how staff members use those services.

The members of the school board got their first look at the new policy this week. Superintendent Dr. Jim Roberts explains that the existing policies were lacking.

Roberts says that the existing policies were out of date and inadequate for current social media use.

Roberts said that the policy update discourages the use of school district logos, graphics and other materials on private social media accounts and suggests that staff members ensure that their own opinions are not mistaken as the schools’.

The changes are not meant to limit the staff’s First Amendment rights.

The proposed policy would also regulate and prohibit staff members private communications between staff and students. It also encourages staff to consider the public nature of their social media posts.

While the policy does not specifically outline any morality guidelines for activities portrayed on social media, Roberts said the district already has ethics policies in place that govern staff members off-duty activities.