District Superintendent Mark Stefanik said the issue appeared on the board agenda because of questions about whether policy was violated by postings on social media during board debates this past year, including the process of appointing Tipp City Public Library trustees.
The antiharassment policy covers unlawful conduct on school property or an activity sponsored by the board, said member Simon Patry, questioning if the comments sparking the discussion fell under the policy.
Board President Theresa Dunaway said the policy is geared toward students and staff. Experts speaking at state school board conferences advise board members to not respond on social media. “We need to find a way to clear up some of the mistruths” in the community that have led to some of the criticism, Dunaway said.
“We need to be intentional about protecting everybody’s ability to freely add to our discussion,” Doll said. “I want people to feel safe and free to speak their voice, speak their opinion and be able to do that without worrying about harassment and intimidation from some members in the community.”
Doll shared concerns she had about a posting that urged people to protest outside her home on a day there were funeral activities for a relative.
“We can disagree … but how do we do that and maintain our community … our efforts towards the school district and our students,” Doll said. There is no recourse for board members who feel they are being harassed and threatened, she said, other than call the police or obtain a lawyer.
Dunaway said the board might need a policy for the board members for when they feel cyberstalked, public humiliated and intimidated from comments on social media. “Some of the things are completely outlandish,” she said.
Board member Anne Zakkour said there is a need to ensure the public is receiving accurate information, which might help reduce some comments.
Patry said people organizing outside a board member’s home is ill advised. “But, they have the freedom of speech, the freedom to organize and we are public officials and that subjects us to those kind of things some times,” he said.
There will always be things said that are inaccurate, which is always an issue in politics, he said. “From my perspective, that is part of the burden of being an elected official, unless it is an issue of safety,” he said.
Dunaway said she was concerned that a continued pattern of false information eventually could harm the community and the district’s students. “It’s a lot to handle,” she said. She suggested the board hire a cyber bullying attorney to help address false claims.
“As public officials, we are subject to criticism, we are going to have things said about us that are factually inaccurate,” Patry said.
“I feel that engaging attorneys is not going to change or prevent anything … We need to do what our conscience dictates,” he said. “If we see something that we have an issue with, talk about it at a meeting but I am not in favor of spending district resources trying to go after members of the public who are posting things that are inaccurate on social media or advocating people to protest.”
Doll said she agreed with the free speech rights but continued to have concerns when a board. Dunaway said the concerns about the bullying and harassment have been around throughout the year and other discussions, not just the recent library trustees’ appointment debate.
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