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Pasco school district to consider new social media policy

District officials have encouraged the use of Facebook, Twitter and other similar sites for the past five years.
 
Published July 20, 2018|Updated July 20, 2018

Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites have become common ways for Pasco County schools to reach students, parents and the public over the past five years.

The district issued usage guidelines in 2013. Now the administration is asking the School Board to adopt a more formal policy on the subject, one that's more enforceable.

Still in drafting, the proposal would clarify that employees and the public who use district-approved platforms would be expected to behave in a "respectful, courteous and civil manner."

The district would maintain editorial control, with the right to remove material that is obscene or libelous, among other issues, as well as anything that contains information that violates student privacy without consent.

District employees would be allowed to use district technology to access social media for personal reasons during breaks, but could be monitored by the district for that use.

Employees also would be required to maintain all public records created on the social media sites that they oversee.

In a related policy proposal, the district further explains that if employees use apps or web services that do not allow for comments to be blocked or deactivated, the archiving rules will still apply for those comments.

The board will discuss these and several other policy recommendations during a workshop Tuesday afternoon.

Past coverage: Pasco leads way as school districts explore social media