Dexter School Administration Moves Closer to Student Media Policy

By Jacob Van Hoof

Dexter Squall Staff Writer

Over the past few months, the board of education policy committee has worked to draft and implement a new policy for school publications. According to Superintendent Mary Marshall, the process has been painstaking, but a decision could be made soon.

“The process has been slow,” she said. “We needed to take time to have public discourse and consider all perspectives, but I think we are close to a policy we can take to the board for review and consideration.”

The new policy will replace a rather unclear policy that did not provide much in terms of specifics, Marshall said.

“The current policy does not have much in it at all,” she said. “The policy is absent of language regarding oversight and other details that we should have in a policy so that there is no misunderstanding of what the board can support in terms of publication.”

Marshall said the board will create a new policy which will be more comprehensive and detailed to assure that the school will comply with any publication laws.

“The board reviewed several policies, and right now a draft is being developed that separates policy statements from guidelines,” Marshall said. “Our hope is that the policy is one that creates a sound structure when decisions are needed and that guidelines provide enough information as to how the day-to-day implementation of the policy takes place.”

Editor's note: This article was originally published in the Dexter Squall. Articles published in the Squall are included on Patch.com weekly as part of a cooperative study program. Read more Squall stories online.