Communication may be priority for Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT – The School Committee will formulate a policy outlining steps for communicating with the public after receiving criticism that the district issued vague, unsatisfying statements after recent events including allegations that students were paddled by seniors at the high school.”I feel like we owe it to administrators, to us as school committee members and to the town, ? (to figure out) circumstances around which we would like to see communication,” said School Committee Chair Jacqueline Kinney at the committee’s Wednesday night meeting. “It levels the playing field for everybody in the district to draft a policy.”The committee invited the school district’s attorney, James Toomey of Murphy, Hesse, Toomey and Lehane LLP, to the meeting to discuss what should – and legally could – be communicated to the community, the press and parents after controversial incidents occur in the schools. Committee members said they had received complaints that statements issued by the district were viewed as “legalistic” and uninformative, ultimately exacerbating potential issues by leading to speculation.”In this town, it’s the speculation that can kill you? The issue ends up mushrooming,” said member Laurier Beaupre. “We have to learn how to appropriately control the mushroom.”But Toomey said that options were limited and difficult to plan for. Strict laws protect student and employees confidentiality and specific disciplinary procedures must be followed in order to shield the district from potential lawsuits. Yet, the school committee, public, and administration all need to have an understanding on what is happening so that they can hold elected officials and employees accountable.”From a lawyer’s standpoint what’s the best thing to do? Say nothing,” Toomey said. “But that is not very satisfying to the public who – let’s recognize this – has an interest in what’s going on in the schools.”But school committee members and Superintendent Lynne Celli said that community members want assurance that a matter has been resolved.Toomey said that while officials cannot usually provide information on discipline, school officials could say that an incident has led them to consider changes.”I don’t know that we always get [to this point],” said committee member Jaren Landen. “At the end of the day, parents just want to feel like no one is pulling the wool over their eyes.”Kinney asked committee members Rick Kraft and Beaupre to work on the policy and present it to Toomey for review.