The Vancouver School Board (VSB) is becoming a little stricter about who is allowed to sit at its media table.
Photos of a sign have appeared on social media showing the seats are restricted to “accredited media only” and that photos can only be taken from the public gallery.
Former chairperson Patti Bacchus says when she tried to take a photo of a presenter at a meeting last week, she was approached by a VSB employee.
“And I was accosted basically by a communications person who told me I couldn’t take the photo where I was taking it, which was the only spot where I could get the person’s face.”
Bacchus says it’s unclear what accredited media means to the board.
“I wonder if maybe they think that it’s a professional designation, which it really isn’t. So I’m not sure if they don’t really understand. There’s not a lot of experienced folks, I believe, that may be handling those issues right now. So it was a surprise to me. It was a real departure from the Vancouver School Board that I was part of for eight years as a trustee.”
The VSB has not yet responded to a request for comment.