ACPS - Dictator Hutchings - Instruct School Members Not Talk to the Press

[Anonymous]

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/15/superintendent-advises-alexandria-school-board-to-not-talk-to-the-media/

This sure seems like he is trying to prevent the Board members for fulfilling their individual responsibilities as elected officials.

[Anonymous]

Totally unacceptable and quite disturbing. The public should always be concerned when a government official wants to silence others, especially those who are elected and need to be accountable to their constituents. I thought superintendent answered to the school board, not the other way around…

[Anonymous]

The only surprising part of this article is that it seems some school board members found this inappropriate. I'm sure Hutchings will get them in line, and they will issue lengthy apologies, never speak to the press, and go back to fawning over his every word.

[Anonymous]

Your ignorance and paranoia are showing. Have none of you ever served on a Board before? Usually, the Bylaws and the organization's covenants stipulate who is allowed to speak to the press. Hint: it ain't the plebians and minions.

For most school systems, the right and responsibility to speak to the press will be the Chair of the Board and the Chair's designee. In this case the designee is the School Superintendent, who is the School Board's sole employee.

Please educate yourselves before you make even bigger fools out of Alexandria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your ignorance and paranoia are showing. Have none of you ever served on a Board before? Usually, the Bylaws and the organization's covenants stipulate who is allowed to speak to the press. Hint: it ain't the plebians and minions.

For most school systems, the right and responsibility to speak to the press will be the Chair of the Board and the Chair's designee. In this case the designee is the School Superintendent, who is the School Board's sole employee.

Please educate yourselves before you make even bigger fools out of Alexandria.

This is different, you must know that. Serving on a "board" is very different from being a publicly elected official. Just because it has the word "board" in the name, doesn't mean they operate the same. School board officials are elected. Elected officials should not be bound by organizational media gag orders.

[Anonymous]

Sweetie, read the Bylaws and/or the Policies & Procedures. If you're able to type, you're able to read. So do it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sweetie, read the Bylaws and/or the Policies & Procedures. If you're able to type, you're able to read. So do it!

I am not arguing Board members should be allowed to speak for ACPS. But, an elected official should be able to share personnel views. If they can’t, why even bother have the district governed by an elected school board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sweetie, read the Bylaws and/or the Policies & Procedures. If you're able to type, you're able to read. So do it!

I am not arguing Board members should be allowed to speak for ACPS. But, an elected official should be able to share personnel views. If they can’t, why even bother have the district governed by an elected school board.

Exactly. Serving on a board for a business or non-profit is completely different from being an elected public official serving on the school board. They have a right to speak, and in many cases a duty to answer to their constituents that elected them.

I actually searched the bylaws and don’t see anything that restricts school board members from communicating with the media. The only communication policy I found was this one regarding board members communicating with ACPS employees.

https://www.acps.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01918616/Centricity/Shared/documents/school-board-policies/BG_GBD.pdf

If you’re aware of another section that addresses this topic, and limits the board members’ ability for communicate publicly, please share.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only surprising part of this article is that it seems some school board members found this inappropriate. I'm sure Hutchings will get them in line, and they will issue lengthy apologies, never speak to the press, and go back to fawning over his every word.

+1

This is the funniest part of the article:

“I think you always have to, because their (media’s) time is actually time-limited,” Hutchings said. “I can just tell you, I get bombarded from people at events as soon I step off the stage, and I say, ‘You gotta wait until I talk to my team first, because I want to make sure what the pros and cons are of it.'”

He's "Bombarded" by press after events? Hutchings has a rich fantasy life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only surprising part of this article is that it seems some school board members found this inappropriate. I'm sure Hutchings will get them in line, and they will issue lengthy apologies, never speak to the press, and go back to fawning over his every word.

+1

This is the funniest part of the article:

“I think you always have to, because their (media’s) time is actually time-limited,” Hutchings said. “I can just tell you, I get bombarded from people at events as soon I step off the stage, and I say, ‘You gotta wait until I talk to my team first, because I want to make sure what the pros and cons are of it.'”

He's "Bombarded" by press after events? Hutchings has a rich fantasy life.

That boy is a fool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only surprising part of this article is that it seems some school board members found this inappropriate. I'm sure Hutchings will get them in line, and they will issue lengthy apologies, never speak to the press, and go back to fawning over his every word.

+1

This is the funniest part of the article:

“I think you always have to, because their (media’s) time is actually time-limited,” Hutchings said. “I can just tell you, I get bombarded from people at events as soon I step off the stage, and I say, ‘You gotta wait until I talk to my team first, because I want to make sure what the pros and cons are of it.'”

He's "Bombarded" by press after events? Hutchings has a rich fantasy life.

That boy is a fool.

He must be fantasizing about his book tour.

[Anonymous]

The gag order on the school board members has been in effect since Dr H started. I’m not a lawyer but it seems like my elected officials should be able speak freely in the press. It seems undemocratic