In a technology based age, the quickest way to reach someone is to send an email or text. For many coaches, the easiest way to inform an athlete of a change in time or location of a practice is to send a group message to the entire team at once. However, in a new policy known as 811.1 Neshaminy School District has limited the ways student-athletes are allowed to interact with their coach.

“School District employees and officials may not communicate with School District students on Social Media or their private email accounts or texting accounts without notifying the Principal of any such communication,” states section F of Policy 811.1

The policy was approved in June 2014 and was implemented for the first time during this academic year. Already, it is causing a lot of inconvenience.

“The policy has been necessitated by state archiving and right-to-know laws. Communication to and from public employees needs to be archived. Therefore, private individual electronic communication is problematic. District email is an appropriate option,” said principal, Rob McGee.

It is very clear that this policy has a purpose; a) to protect students from predator-ail coaches and b) to protect coaches from unjust accusations. Although policy 811.1 was written with best interests, it has become increasingly limiting to both coaches and athletes. “I used to text my coach to ask about games and when they were,” said sophomore Crystal Teoh. “Now I can’t do that.”

“The intent is obviously to protect our children, which all teachers and coaches would agree is worthwhile and important. However, this particular ruling is not only inconvenient, it really is unnecessary. If the purpose of communication between teachers/coaches and students/athletes is either educational or athletic in nature, then there is no reason to restrict it,” said a Coach in the high school, who wished to remain anonymous.

In the School District’s blanketing attempt to solve the mentioned problems in communication, more issues have been created than where already in existence. Now, due to this policy, free information has been limited leaving athletes in the dark, when it comes to changes in practice time or venue.

“So often, as a coach, we need to make last minute decisions and changes to the schedule. In order to communicate quickly and effectively, this communication has to occur. I’m sure the District’s argument is to send email through the school, and yes that would work, but we all know there are faster and more quickly accessible ways of sending information,” said the anonymous coach.

Currently, teachers and coaches use applications such as Remind 101 or Edmodo which are public and parent-accessible to communicate with students. These methods of communication, however, are very slow and inefficient. The district has purchased a system to permit to allow such communication called “Parent Link” and “Teacher Contact,” but the use of this system has been slow as it requires a strenuous process of collecting the email addresses and phone numbers of all students. The district hopes to introduce the system in September.

“As a stop-gap, NHS contibues to permit staff and coaches to use apps like Remind 101. In addition, staff and coaches may continue to text students as long as the texts are group texts in which I am included. The new texting system will facilitate that process. Presently, the group text with me included is also working very well,” said McGee.