Media Honored by Local School Districts

For Release: May 1, 2012
Contact: Barbara Williams, 800.580.8272, ext. 6418
barbara.williams@tasb.org

(AUSTIN) — Media representatives from more than 470 Texas newspapers, radio and television stations, and online publications were named to the 2012 Media Honor Roll by their local school districts. Sponsored by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), the Media Honor Roll program recognizes reporters statewide for fair, accurate, and balanced reporting of news about public schools.

Criteria for the district selection included the media representative’s efforts to get to know the superintendent, board president, and the district’s mission and goals; report school news in a fair, accurate, and balanced manner; give a high profile to positive news about schools; visit the schools; and maintain a policy of no surprises by sharing information with school officials.

"Districts across Texas appreciate these reporters for their balanced and accurate approach to sharing both the challenges facing our schools and the successes achieved by local students, teachers, and school boards. Their work aids local communities in focusing on the goal of providing the best public schools we can for every child," said Gary Inmon, TASB president.
In most cases, district school boards passed a resolution to add names of media from their communities. Personalized certificates were created for presentation at the local level. The complete list of 2012 Media Honor Roll nominees (pdf) will be posted on tasb.org in June.

TASB is a nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local public school districts. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 4.9 million students.