Gooding Jt. School District 231
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1405
School Board Use of Email, Social Media, and District-Provided Electronic Devices
Use of electronic mail (e-mail) by members of the Board will conform to the same standards of judgment, propriety, and ethics as other forms of school board-related communication. Board members will comply with the following guidelines when using e-mail in the conduct of Board responsibilities:
- The Board will not use e-mail, communications via social media, or other electronic communications as a substitute for deliberations or voting at Board meetings or for other communications or business properly confined to Board meetings.
- Board members will be aware that e-mail and e-mail attachments received or prepared for use in Board business or containing information relating to Board business (regardless of whether sent or received on a school owned computer or personally owned computer) may be regarded as public records, which may be inspected by any person upon request, unless otherwise made confidential by law. Additionally, if a Board Member is utilizing a school-owned technology device for personal purposes, such communications may also be subject to production in a public records request.
- Board members will note that individual postings made to social media sites should be considered carefully in light of how they would reflect on the poster, the Board of Trustees, and the District. Opinions expressed by staff on a social networking website have the potential to be disseminated far beyond the speaker’s desire or intention, and could undermine the public perception of fitness of the individual to serve students’ interests. Individual Board member postings are an act of the individual and are not an act of the Board.
- Board members will comply with the same standards as school employees with regard to confidential information and security measures taken when sending it electronically.
- Board members shall refrain from downloading or using the TikTok app or visiting the TikTok website on any District-provided device or while connected to the District’s network. If TikTok has already been downloaded onto a device issued to a Board member by the District, the Board member shall delete the app or seek District assistance in deleting it.
Trustees shall not use District-provided email or social media for personal purposes.
Use of any District-provided electronic device for informal or personal purposes is permissible within reasonable limits provided it does not interfere with their duties as a Board trustee and complies with District policy. However, the Board member needs to understand that such use of school provided electronic devices for personal or informal purposes may be subject to production in a public records request.
Definitions
“Deliberation” is defined as the receipt or exchange of information or opinion relating to a decision, but shall not include informal or impromptu discussions of a general nature which do not specifically relate to a matter then pending before the public agency for decision.
Cross Reference: 5325 Employee Use of Social Media Sites, Including Personal Sites
5330 Employee Email and Online Services Usage
Legal Reference: IC § 9-337 Public Writings et. seq.
IC § 18-6726 TikTok Use by State Employees on a State-Issued Device Prohibited
IC § 67-2341(2) Open Public Meetings – Definitions
Idaho Executive Order 2022-06
Cowles Pub. Co. v. Kootenai Co. Bd. of County Commissioners 144 Idaho 259 (2007).
Policy History:
Adopted on: 12/13/11
Revised on: 12/8/20; 5/9/23
Reviewed on: