Costs a concern with Resources Committee.
By: Lea Kahn
If some school board members had their way, the Lawrence Township Board of Education would join the ranks of neighboring school districts including the Princeton Regional School District in televising its monthly meetings.
School board member Bill Michaelson had suggested televising the meetings at a school board meeting earlier this year, but the issue was referred to the board’s Resources Committee. A report was expected this month.
School board Resources Committee chairman Michael Brindle told the full school board at its Nov. 10 meeting that it had not reached a recommendation. The committee did not have enough information on items such as the cost to televise the meetings. It may offer a recommendation in December or January, he said.
Televising the school board meetings would open up the process to the public, said school board member Laura Waters. The school district has the equipment the district has a television studio and it would be possible to film the meetings, she said.
But school board vice chairman, Michael Winka, said he would prefer to spend the money on other items, rather than on televising the school board meetings. There are better ways to spend the money, he said, adding "that’s my opinion."
Meanwhile, Schools Superintendent Max Riley said Tuesday that the school district is researching the costs of televising the meetings including the cost of equipment along with the overall feasibility of the issue.
Televising a school board meeting is not as simple as it sounds, Dr. Riley said. For example, when would it be broadcast? Station WZBN has the first claim on the 7:30 p.m. time slot on Channel 19. The monthly school board meeting starts at 7:30 p.m., so it is likely that the meeting would be taped and broadcast later, he said.
Also, there are the technical issues that must be dealt with, he said. Would one camera be used, or would two or three be needed? Would the camera or cameras focus on the school board members or on the audience and speakers?
There is also the cost of labor, such as camera operators, Dr. Riley said. If multiple cameras are used, they would have to be coordinated by a director. And if it is decided to edit the tape before being broadcast, someone would need to do that, he said.
"Of all the things that we would do as a district, how will this relate to the core mission of educating children," Dr. Riley said.
The administration surveyed other school districts that televised school board meetings, Dr. Riley said. That informal survey revealed mixed results some school district officials said it is helpful in reaching out to residents who may not be able to attend meetings, but others said it was not helpful because some board members might play to the cameras.
The theoretical advantage of televising the school board meetings is to reach a broader audience, Dr. Riley said. Watching a school board meeting provides greater access to the public, as compared to reading about a school board meeting in the newspaper, he said.
But televised meetings won’t have an effect or influence on decision-making by the school board, Dr. Riley said. Watching a meeting passively on tape is not the same as attending a meeting and offering input at the meeting, he said.