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Guidelines On Public Communication – Appendix E
Some Guidelines for Responding to Media Inquiries
Any member of NCTE is, to one degree or another, a spokesperson for the Council. Inquiries about Council statements of position may range from the friendly question of a sympathetic colleague to a provocative call by a skeptical writer from a national wire service. While it is important to address your colleagues in an informed way, it is doubly important to represent the Council carefully to representatives of the press, radio, and television. The following guidelines are designed to help you make useful responses to such inquiries, without sacrificing your own identity and convictions.
When approached as a representative of the Council:
What you say may be interpreted as an official Council position statement. If you need further information from official sources or want to think about the question, don't hesitate to tell the journalist to call back later.
Speak in terms of NCTE position statements whenever possible. Many of the Council's position statements are available on the Council Web site at http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions. You are urged to be familiar with the position statements, as occasions may arise when you'll need to cite them to the press. It may be useful to send journalist copies of pertinent position statements so that the Council can be quoted precisely.
Label your own views, especially when they diverge from the position of the Council. If you do not agree with the Council's official position, advise the journalist of the NCTE position, summarize the rationale behind it, and then go on to state your own position. Urge the journalist to attend to the distinction.
When there is no official NCTE position on an issue, note that fact and, if you are inclined to do so, provide your own views. Again, label the views as your own and urge the journalist to make plain that you are not speaking for the Council.
When you are unsure of the Council's position or you feel you cannot respond constructively, refer the caller to another Council leader who you believe will be able to comment more completely and adequately. (If you do refer the journalist to another Council leader, it would be a courtesy to call that leader immediately so that he or she will have time to prepare before the journalist calls.)
Seek advice from the NCTE Public Information Office. They are experienced in responding to the media, they have current information that you can use, and they can refer journalists to other spokespeople, when appropriate. Don't hesitate to call the Public Information Office at 1-800-369-6283, ext. 3630 or e-mail .
Some Guidelines for Initiating Public Information
In all communities and states, incidents occur from time to time that may provoke a member to speak out for the profession. A book may be banned, a language arts teacher may be unfairly criticized, another Council leader or the Council's position on a topic may be attacked, or a local or state official may make a decision that flies in the face of reason, good practice, or an official NCTE position, or all three.
A letter to the editor is the most common means of responding, and the member must decide whether (and in what manner) to invoke the name of the Council in his or her letter. When the member chooses to use the name of the Council, he or she is urged to follow the guidelines below:
- If the issue involves (or can involve) official NCTE positions, cite those position statements to the degree possible and appropriate. Give precise quotations and, if appropriate, send along the full text. Many of the Council's position statements are available on the Council Web site at
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions
When NCTE has no official position on the question, or if it does have a position and you do not agree with it, label your opinion as your own.
When what you say is based on NCTE positions or when you feel that your view is, with reasonable certainty, what the Council would say if it had spoken on the issue, then feel free to refer to your Council post and use Council stationery. If, on the other hand, you doubt that the members at an Annual Business Meeting would agree with your view on a question, avoid using the name of the Council to buttress your view. It is probably inappropriate even to say, "As a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, I. . .," for that phrase alone may imply agreement of the majority of Council members with your position.
English language arts teachers are particularly vulnerable to editorial and public scorn for ineffective writing. When shaping a written message to the media or to a governing body, take the time to state your thoughts most effectively. Letters written in haste can inadvertently harm you, your colleagues, the Council, and your cause.
As appropriate, share copies of your letter with your liaison officers, with the Executive Director, and with leaders of affiliates in your locale, particularly if the issue is one of local or state concern. Having a copy of your letter will prepare these leaders to respond and perhaps to take further action in terms of what you have said. The copy to the Executive Director is particularly useful, because when a local or state issue draws national attention, the Council is frequently called for verification or comment. Having your letter in hand will help headquarters staff respond with full awareness of not only the issue but also the position you have taken.
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