EIPS communications policy muzzles trustees

BY JANA SEMENIUK Elk Island Public

School Trustees and principals are not allowed to provide their thoughts and views on issues affecting their schools to the media, until they are first vetted through the division’s Communications Director.

The policy is not new, according to current Communications Director Laura McNabb, but she does not know when it was first voted into practice by the board.

“The Director of Communications has always overseen media relations, and the Board Chair has always been the media spokesperson for the school board unless delegated to another representative,” she said by email.

Last week, Lamont County Trustee and EIPS Vice Board Chair Colleen Holowaychuk provided a vague comment on the extremely damaged roof that was leaking for two weeks at Andrew School, but was prevented by EIPS’ communication policy from offering her thoughts on the matter to the Lamont Leader.

The Lamont Leader asked McNabb if the current communication policy could be overturned by a board vote and if Holowaychuk would be in favour of such a vote.

“EIPS will not be responding,” she said by email.

Fort SaskatchewanVegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk said she could not comment on EIPS’ communication policy as school boards operate separately from the government.

“School boards run autonomously from the government and school trustees are elected by the parents and should be accountable to the parents,” she said in a phone interview.

Last month, the Lamont Leader submitted a request for comment from the Lamont Elementary School principal, through McNabb, after the school’s annual Christmas Concert was held at the Lamont High School.

The request was initially denied after McNabb said the principal could not be reached for comment.

After another request was made for a replacement comment from the music teacher or assistant principal, McNabb then offered a comment she attributed to the principal.