Relations with the News Media 7-6

School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 7-6

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Relations with the News Media

1. Generally

   The School Board desires to cooperate with the news media in providing the public with pertinent facts concerning the School Division and its schools. The Superintendent or designee shall establish a basic and reliable source to which the news media may turn to for information.

2. Attendance at School Board Meetings

   The School Board encourages the attendance of the news media at all open School Board meetings.

3. Interviews/Photographs/Videotaping

   The School Board permits the interviewing/photographing/filming of students and teachers during the school day only if the interviews, in the judgment of the principal or Superintendent oe designee, do not disrupt the educational program or tend to cause undue confusion. Permission will be required to interview/photograph/film either from the adult student or the parent/legal guardian of students under age eighteen (18). Crowd shots that are not meant to individually identify students will be exempt from the permission requirement. Permission, for the purpose of this Policy, will be defined as an adult student's or the minor student's parent or legal guardian’s signature on the Parent Acknowledgement Form distributed with the annual School Handbook or by parent/legal guardian signature on an individual release form.

4. Athletic Contests and Student Performances

   The Superintendent may permit the broadcasting and/or online streaming of athletic contests and student performances by radio or television provided that the broadcast is done as a public service or that the sponsor of the broadcast is appropriate. As such events are generally open to the public to attend and photograph, permission or release forms will not be required in such instances.

5. Student Participation in Media programs

   When given approval by the Superintendent or designee, students may participate in media programs if the programs' objectives are to educate the public concerning the public schools or to provide a learning experience for the participating students. Written parental/legal guardian permission must be secured for any student (under age 18) or from the adult student being interviewed, photographed or videotaped prior to the student's participation, unless the appropriate Parental Acknowledgement Form is on file in the student’s school.

   It shall be clearly understood that the School Board does not endorse the product or products of any sponsor.

Legal Reference

Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, 20 U.S.C. § 1232(h), as amended.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232(g), as amended.

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as amended by Every Child Succeeds Act, 20 U.S.C. § 6301, et seq., as amended.

Related Links

School Board Policy 5-31
School Board Policy 5-66

Adopted by School Board: October 21, 1969
Amended by School Board: November 18, 1986
Amended by School Board: August 21, 1990
Amended by School Board: July 16, 1991
Amended by School Board: October 20, 1992
Amended by School Board: May 15, 2004
Amended by School Board: August 19, 2014
Amended by School Board: April 30, 2019
Amended by School Board: November 26, 2024