PITTSFIELD, Mass. — School officials feel an urgent need to update the policy manual for social media.  
Last week, the Policy subcommittee sent a revised document to the School Committee that bars teachers and staff from friending students and giving out their private phone numbers. It is based on the Massachusetts Association of School Committees' model.

"I think we need to build it into the policy manual while everything else is a work in progress," Chair William Cameron said. "I think this needs to go in there now."

According to the policy, the superintendent and principals will annually remind staff members and orient new ones of the "importance of maintaining proper decorum in the online, digital world as well as in person."

"Employees must conduct themselves in ways that do not distract from or disrupt the educational process," it reads.

The state Department of Children and Families recently cleared two Pittsfield High School administrators accused of misconduct: Dean of Students Molly West and Vice Principal Alison Shepard.  

West and Shepard were put on administrative leave in December. A couple of days before, PHS Dean Lavante Wiggins was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine.

The School Committee investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by PHS staff members began at the beginning of the year and is expected to be completed on or before March 31.

"I want to say I think most faculty already follow the rule of thumb of 'I don't friend students,'" Sara Hathaway said.

"We haven't had widespread issues but people are aware of when it does go wrong."

Two of the amendments dealt with social media pages for teams, classes, or student organizations.  The subcommittee voted to have the district own the accounts and allow a coach, faculty adviser, or designee to have administrator access.

Interim Deputy Superintendent Matthew Bishop pointed out that high schools have multiple social media pages for sports teams, clubs, student organizations, and sometimes departments.

"It has always been a challenge for me to try to make sure I knew what was going on in those because a lot of times coaches would turn over the management of those pages to kids or the captains as part of their duties," he said.

"And there have been times where that has gone awry so I appreciate the part about the faculty adviser being the ones in charge."

William Garrity suggested the amendment to make social media accounts owned by the district so there is central management.

"There's always the unofficial stuff that we can't do anything about," Bishop said, adding that the district has "a really good interest" in knowing what affiliated pages are saying.

Last month, the School Committee endorsed a social media and cell phone directive that was created by district unions and administrators. It bars staff members from connecting with students outside of their immediate family on social media and calling or messaging them from a personal phone.

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