Administration limits districtwide e-mail

MAT-SU -- E-mail became a conduit for districtwide debate last week in Mat-Su Borough schools, but no longer.

As of last week, school employees are unable to send an e-mail to all district staff with one click of a button. The "to all school employees" option has been removed from the district's list server, and central administrators say they will develop a policy as to how district e-mail should be used.

"No one has that access now," said Kim Floyd, public information specialist. As it stands currently, users of the e-mail system will have to click and select each recipient.

"It's pretty burdensome … we do have 1,600 employees," Floyd said.

She said the option to choose "all school employees" was designed to allow districtwide announcements to be shared more easily with all staff. But when Assistant Superintendent Don Chicarell's resignation letter sparked responses sent districtwide from Wasilla High Assistant Principal Mark Okeson and several others, Floyd said the superintendent decided to remove the option.

"Even after that was accomplished … another staff person sent a message out regarding the 'challenge' letter and this person manipulated the system so he could send it to everyone," Floyd said.

When asked if the assistant superintendent's resignation letter, which criticized district employees, unions and school board members, was considered appropriate for the districtwide e-mail system, Floyd said it was different from the responses that ensued.

"Don's correspondence was addressed to all school employees and it was intended for that audience," Floyd said. "Mark Okeson's reply was addressed specifically to Don Chicarell and yet was broadcasted to all staff."

The e-mail system is new to the district as of last year, "so we are in the learning curve," Floyd said.

She said that even before this recent situation central administration had other concerns about the way the system was being used, including for solicitation purposes.

"I think it was an issue that was starting to reveal itself anyway," Floyd said. "It just means we need to set some standards for use."