BISD ADOPTS "ERASMO RULES" FOR CAMPUS VISITS, FACEBOOK

Special to El Rrun-Rrun
They won't openly say it, but the new polices on campus visits and Facebook postings imposed upon  Brownsville Independent School District Board members came about as a result of trustee Erasmo Castro's penchant for doing both.

The members voted to add more rules to its School Board Members Standard Operating Procedures that will determine when members can visit the district’s campuses and who they need to get permission from before doing so.

Castro had made it a habit to arrive unannounced at BISD campuses and socialize with students, often taking "selfies" with them and posting them on his socail media sites without getting permission from the administration. At least one parent has complained formally to the board. A hearing on that chat complaint was delayed until Castro retains legal counsel.

The new rules were  discussed and passed Tuesday during the board's school board meeting.

The “concern that they had was about board members visiting campuses and taking pictures and posting them on their personal pages,” said Superintendent Rene Gutierrez said.

The following changes to the School Board Members Standard Operating Procedures:

1. Board members are encouraged to attend as many public school events as their time permits.

2. Board members may visit any campus or department after first receiving approval from the Superintendent and then signing in at the main office. Appointments are required.

3. Board members may not informally interact with any staff member or student during free periods, lunch or recess.

4. Board members shall not go unannounced to any district building or classroom.

5. Board members must be escorted by administration when visiting any district location with the exception of the BISD Main Office.

6. Board members may not give advice or direction to any staff of student except when safety or liability is an issue. Must immediately notify the Superintendent shortly thereafter.

7. While members of the Board have no authority as individuals, it is sometimes difficult for staff members to see them as ordinary parents. Therefore, when visiting with teachers of their own children board members will make it clear that they are acting as parents rather than as members of the board. Board members will not request or accept extraordinary consideration for their students.

8. When a family member of one of our board members contacts or visits a campus, district procedures will be followed.

9. Board members may not take pictures of or with students when visiting a campus or district location unless approved by administration/principal.

10. Board members who share or publish any BISD events, news, pictures shall not block any members of the public on their private social media.

11. Board members should not interact/interfere with any and all student activities, student events, employee events, etc., up to and including athletics/fine arts/ recognition events.

Another change to the operating procedures states that if there is board response to noncompliance, the district can take the following steps:

1. The first step a verbal warning.

2. Second step a censure.

3. Third step a report to TEA state agency.

4. Fourth step a legal action.

The school board also voted that it will look into how the district’s Facebook pages are monitored regarding posting and comments made on the page and whether they can be removed.

“We are going to administratively look into those procedures as far as any comments that are made on our district Facebook (pages), are we going to be able to monitor those and whether they are allowable or not allowable to be removed,” Gutierrez said. “We are going to be looking at the item as an administration and have procedures in place.”

The Board voted to grant a delay in taking any action on a complaint filed against Castro until Castro could hire an attorney. BISD attorney Baltazar Salazar said Castro requested the delay and Salazar met with the parent making the complaint and the parent agreed to the delay.

Board President Minerva Pena added that she wanted to assure the public that the board does not condone such behavior.

“None of us here on this table condone any kind of misbehavior by any of us at any time, any place or moment. Please understand we are here to serve and give our best, and I want to make sure the public understands that,” Pena said.