B. Publications
1. Publication Guidelines
All publications of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association, whether published by the Association as a whole or by a sub-group of the Association, are subject to the following guidelines:
a) All publications will be guided by a respect for truth, a concern for human dignity, and a commitment to the Code of Ethics of the teaching profession.
b) Material which is demeaning, condescending, or that discriminates on the basis of age, race, religion or sexual orientation is unacceptable. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
c) Material printed in NLTA publications, posted on the NLTA website or in e-mail correspondence must be accurate and in good taste so as not to leave the Association and author open to libel. This principle applies equally to articles, photographs, illustrations, advertising, e-mail, social media and web pages. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
d) Opinion articles shall be clearly identified as such and shall carry the name of the author. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
e) Inclusion of any material of a political nature should be done with consideration of NLTA’s policy that this Association, as a body, will remain independent from specific political party affiliations while maintaining the right of members to participate in the democratic process.
f) Copyright must be honoured. When reproducing any material, permission must be obtained from the person or organization holding copyright. [May/11/85] [May/27- 28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
2. The Bulletin
a) The purpose of The Bulletin is to provide useful, interesting, and insightful information about the members of the Association, about the programs and services offered by the Association and about the Association itself. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
b) The Bulletin will be published a minimum of five times per year. Every regular issue of The Bulletin will contain article(s) regarding member issues. [Mar/6-8/91] [1991 AGM] [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM] [Feb/13-14&15/13] [JC Feb/13] [2013 BGM] [Jun/10/22]
c) The Bulletin is circulated to NLTA members on the basis of 1 for every 10 NLTA members on staff, or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of 5 paper copies per school/worksite and subject to a minimum of 1 paper copy per school/worksite. School Representatives will have the option to contact the NLTA and request additional printed copies if required, up to a maximum of 1 per NLTA member on staff. An electronic version of The Bulletin will be provided to all NLTA members. [Nov/5-6/98] [Jan/28/22]
d) Editorial Policy
i) Letters to the Editor
• Subject – All letters must pertain to educational and/or Association issues or contain comments on an item previously carried in The Bulletin. [June/11- 12/93]
• Brevity – All letters should be as brief as possible, generally not more than 250 words; however, consideration may be given to longer letters if it is deemed appropriate by the editor. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
• Signatures – All letters received by the Association must contain contact information for the author. However, the Association will agree to publish a “nom de plume” if the author prefers.
• Taste – All letters must conform to general norms of good taste.
• Editorial Discretion – The Bulletin Editorial Board (President, Vice-President, Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, Editor) reserves the right to exclude material which is libellous, offensive, or deemed inappropriate by the Editorial Board.
• Responsibility – The views expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor, Editorial Board, Provincial Executive, Administrative Staff, or the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association and will state this information when published.
ii) In Memoriam (submitted by the membership)
In memoriams will be accepted for NLTA members, with a maximum word limit of 300; however, exceptions will be made at the discretion of the Editor. Submissions should be made in a timely manner, within the same school year (if possible) of the death of the member. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM] [Nov/28/14] [2015 BGM] [Jun/10/22]
iii) Branch Events
Articles on professional development days and special ceremonies, etc., at the branch level will not be accepted for publication if they are received more than 30 days after the event has taken place. Beyond that, they should be printed in a branch newsletter. This policy is to keep The Bulletin current and, therefore, more enjoyable for the readership. [June/8-9/90] [1991 AGM]
e) The Convention Issue of The Bulletin
i) The Convention issue of The Bulletin will be distributed only to the active membership mailing list in the quantity of one copy for each member. [Nov/5-6/98] [Jun/10/22]
ii) The Convention issue of The Bulletin publishes the name, dossier, and photo of each nominee to the Provincial Executive Council, as submitted by the branches. The total length of the biographical materials and policy statement for each nominee shall be limited to 400 words. [May/22/87] [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
iii) The Convention issue of The Bulletin shall be published and distributed at least one month prior to Convention (See By-Law XI.B.) [Dec/4/20]
f) NLTA Annual Budget
The Association’s budget, as approved by the Convention, is published in the biennial report. [1995 AGM] [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
3. Information for Members
a) All Bargaining Briefs and Presidential Updates on negotiations should include a section which highlights, in summary form, the information contained within. [Jan/14-15/94] [1994 AGM]
b) All communiques by regular mail from the provincial office to the membership which are distributed via the school rep should be addressed as follows: Name; NLTA School Representative; School Address and be marked for delivery to the appropriate teacher. [Jan/14-15/94] [1994 AGM] [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM] [Dec/4/20]
c) When deemed appropriate during the school year, the NLTA will obtain appropriate contact information for each NLTA school representative for the purpose of distribution of NLTA materials. [Jan/14-15/94] [1994 AGM] [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM]
4. Special Interest Council and Branch Publications
Special interest councils and branches may be charged for the cost associated with design, print and mailing of any resource or promotional materials. [Nov/28/14] [2015 BGM]
5. Executive Notes
Notes on Executive meetings are prepared by the Communications Officer and circulated in a timely manner after regular Provincial Executive meetings. [Dec/4/20]
6. Other Educational Publications
Other education oriented materials for distribution to teachers will be considered upon recommendation by the special interest councils, branches, the Communications Officer, or the Executive.
7. NLTA Website
The NLTA website is to be updated on a regular basis and all NLTA information will be posted for accessibility by members. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM] [Dec/4/20]
8. E-Mail
All e-mail communication is to be appropriate, accurate and in good taste and should contain an appropriate NLTA signature, disclaimer and privacy statement. [May/27-28/05] [JC Nov/05] [2007 BGM] [Nov/28/14] [2015 BGM]
9. Gender Identity/Expression Information on Surveys and Questionnaires
The question of gender identity/expression will not be part of NLTA surveys and questionnaires unless this information is of direct relevance to the survey topic. [May/2/14] [JC Oct/14] [2015 BGM]
10. Social Media
The use of social media will follow all appropriate policy of the NLTA and will be used when deemed appropriate by the Communications Officer. [Nov/28/14] [2015 BGM]
