A policy limiting how Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. teachers and staff members may directly discuss work concerns with school board members is being re-evaluated by the board.
During a strategic planning session Friday, board members and administrators focused on Section C of Policy 3112 because it has created concern among educators, administrators and school board members.
The policy states that private conversations between staff and school board members on confidential subjects such as personal grievances and problems, student due process, contract negotiations and litigation is considered unethical conduct.
The words "unethical conduct" in the final sentence has created the most concern among teachers and staff, school board member James Persinger said. The wording makes them fear they will lose their jobs if they say anything to a member of the board, he said.
Instead of "unethical conduct," Persinger suggested the verbiage be changed to state those discussions of confidential subjects between staff and school board members "should be avoided."
If the entire board approves Persinger’s suggestion, board vice-president Jill Shedd said a written clarification should be included that states those subjects "should be avoided because of possible legal or litigation issues."
After Shedd inquired on how policy changes might apply to social media, BCSC Superintendent Jim Roberts and board President Jeff Caldwell said that is a topic that can wait because it has only been a year since a BCSC social media policy was approved.
But in considering policy changes, Caldwell said the board should consider a suggestion from Roberts that administrative guidelines be adopted that provide more specificity on what topics are "in-bounds" and "out-of-bounds" for discussions.
One concern brought up during the planning session is that it’s difficult to try to control conversations regarding stay-at-home eLearning and traditional in-school classes because the topic is being widely discussed throughout the entire community.
The board president said the restrictions are not meant to silence teachers. Representatives of the Columbus Educators Association are always welcome to address the school board on matters to share collective concerns of the teacher union’s membership, Caldwell said.
However, individual educators and staff members should always go through the proper chain-of-command at their school before addressing the board during a public meeting, he said.
When a person chooses to become a BCSC employee, it is expected that they will receive inside knowledge and information. But receiving inside knowledge also requires accepting an obligation to work within the corporation’s structure to address problems, Caldwell said.
"If you take all the restrictions away from employees and board members to have a discussion … I don’t think our exposure to liability as a school corporation allows us to do that," Caldwell said.
If administrators are unaware of a staff member’s concern who chooses to first address the school board, Caldwell said it softens the message and make him wonder about the staff member’s true intent.
Roberts reminded board and staff members that while there is a difference between speaking for yourself and speaking on behalf of the entire school corporation, many people can’t tell the difference. As a result, a fine line is created that might cause legal trouble for the school district.
The next step for BCSC administrators appears to be using the input expressed Friday to create a revised Section C, Roberts said. Proposed revisions could be ready for a first-reading vote during the next public school board meeting on Nov. 9. The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be held in the administration building, 1200 Central Ave.
In contrast with Section C, board members voiced no objections with Section A of the same policy titled "Staff Communications to the Board."
Section A calls for teachers and staff to report unethical or illegal actions by another employee through a chain of command that begins with their immediate supervisor. If the supervisor is the one suspected of wrongdoing, the employee is instructed to submit the report to Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Teresa Heiny.
If the employee follows proper procedures, the policy states they will not be fired, demoted or punished for submitting the report. But if the accusations are found to be false, the person who wrote the report might face serious consequences.
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The Bartholomew Consolidated School Board of Trustees are considering revisions to Section C of Policy 3112, titled "Social Interaction." The policy in question currently reads:
"Both staff and board members share a keen interest in the schools and in education generally, and it is to be expected that when they meet at social affairs and other functions, they will informally discuss such matters as educational trends, issues, innovations and general activities of BCSC. However, since individual board members have no special authority except when they are convened at a legal meeting of the board or vested with special authority by board action, discussions between staff and board members of confidential subjects including, but not limited to, personal grievances and problems, student due process, contract negotiations and litigation shall be considered to be unethical conduct."
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