Media Information

Information for Members of the Media

Turnaround time: We strive to respond to media inquiries promptly, and ask that our media partners provide us with adequate time to gather information. School districts are busy places, and the colleagues who have answers to your questions are not always immediately available, particularly when school is not in session. For non-urgent matters, 2-3 days lead time is greatly appreciated. In an emergency situation, we will do our best to provide updates as soon as possible, but please realize that our top priority in an emergency is ensuring that our students and staff are safe. (see section below on inquiries during an emergency situation)

INQUIRIES ABOUT EVENTS, PROGRAMS, AND POLICIES

We are committed to providing information on:

Educational programs and initiatives
School events and activities
District policies and procedures
School board meetings and actions
Community partnerships and achievements
General operational information
Emergency response procedures (See section on Crisis communications below)

INQUIRIES ABOUT STAFF CONDUCT

We are very limited in the type of information we can share about complaints and investigations related to staff conduct, due to our legal and ethical requirement to protect the privacy rights of our students and our employees.

Employee privacy: Sometimes we wish we could share more information to provide more context to the public, but we are limited due to:

Privacy Rights: School district employees have legal rights to privacy, including regarding their employment records, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions.
Legal Compliance: State and federal laws, including privacy statutes and employment regulations, prohibit disclosure of personnel information.
Contractual Obligations: Collective bargaining agreements and individual employment contracts often contain confidentiality provisions.
Due Process: Ongoing personnel processes require confidentiality to ensure fairness and protect the integrity of investigations

INQUIRIES ABOUT EMPLOYEE LEAVES

When asking about employees on leaves, please understand that employees may be on leave for voluntary and involuntary reasons. Involuntary leaves include paid administrative leave, unpaid administrative leave, or disciplinary leaves (e.g. suspension without pay.) Paid administrative leave may be used for situations such as when there are allegations of misconduct, pending a law enforcement inquiry or a perceived violation of district policy. Paid administrative leave does not assume guilt; it may be used to remove the employee from the workplace while gathering facts, and the employee continues to receive salary and benefits. Unpaid leave may be disciplinary in nature, and needs to be authorized by Education Code, board policy or a collective bargaining agreement.

INQUIRIES ABOUT STUDENT CONDUCT

We are guided by the California Education Code and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which limits what type of information we can share about students, including:

Academic records and performance
Disciplinary actions
Personal information (except directory information with the permission of the family)
Special education services

Tort claims versus lawsuits

Tort claims and lawsuits are distinct legal processes with different requirements and timelines. A tort claim is an administrative filing a claimant must make with a school district, or any government agency, before filing a lawsuit seeking damages for a perceived wrong. Tort claims are often incorrectly perceived to be lawsuits. We encourage media to research and be diligent about understanding these distinctions before making an inquiry.