Obstacles

Implementing a good public relations program will not set well with everyone. Along with its rewards are some pitfalls that public relations-savvy schools and districts have experienced, as well as their suggestions for dealing with the following issues:

• Convincing staff and teachers. As one school community relations manager put it, "Developing a consumer orientation is the hardest thing I've ever had to work with." (Bradley, 1996). Schools may experience resentment from teachers and administrators that all these outside publics are having a say in the educational process, and making demands on their a ready overworked schedules.

However, if they don't listen and respond, schools will deteriorate, their working conditions will become less favorable, and in the long run, they will be hurt by the public's lack of engagement. It is in everyone's best interests to open the doors and let the public in as meaningful partners. As long as schools can convey that the best interests of children are at the core of their activities, and that they have the will and capacity to successfully implement their strategies, the public will be satisfied. The public does not want or need to be involved in the minutiae of school management. When people feel schools are run capably they are happy to let administrators administrate and teachers teach.

• Balking at the cost. The perception is widespread that public relations is not a legitimate expense for a public entity. Yet, frequently there is concurrent demand for schools to communicate better and more openly. Some districts have solved this problem by funding public relations activities creatively, sometimes through grants from local businesses or targeted federal and state support. Others, in their efforts to involve parents and recruit students, are able to draw on federal funds marked for desegregation efforts (Goldman, 1992) to fund public relations strategies such as parent information centers.

• Giving lip service. Relegating the public relations function to a person or committee without the skills, time, or resources to perform constructively is a mistake. Without a plan, and training and resources to back it up, public relations efforts will be scattershot and ineffective.

• Forgetting the audience. Educational jargon is off-putting to a reader. It implies exclusivity, the very image schools want to avoid. As every good writing teacher stresses, "remember your audience." Most people are annoyed by others' use of jargon.

• Doing too much. Define goals narrowly, then choose no more than three to accomplish in a given year. Then, as those goals are accomplished, establish additional goals. When you say you will do something, be sure to take action and do it.