1. The Many Dangers of Email Preventive Law Corner by Dennis J. Eichelbaum

2. Are emails good documentation? What is your districts policy on emails? Will the district accept emails as documentation? What happens to emails you delete?

3. 1. It is difficult to prove up as evidence. Someone has to testify that there is an actual data version of the document on the district’s server. Someone has to testify that they person named as sender is the person that sent the email. It is almost impossible to get a signature from the person that was to receive the document.

4. 2. It looks sloppy and/or unprofessional. A district letterhead is much more impressive than an impersonal email. Reprimand and directives are formal correspondence to an employee. A email gives the impression the supervisor is lazy or acted quickly without forethought.

5. 3.Emails are rarely edited properly An administrator will usually have several drafts of a memo but not an email. An administrator will usually ask someone to review a memo but not an email. Emails will often be sent with errors or omissions of pertinent information. “Official” documents with words misspelled, language errors, poor use of uppercase and lower case letters carry little weight as being official.

6. 4. Most often memos are written by the brain. Emails are typed from the heart. Memos are written and left to season before being sent. Emails are written and sent. Emails are usually typed quickly and without the proper amount of consideration

7. 5. Emails rarely have the details Memos usually have appropriate details. Emails usually are a skeleton. Emails are written for the recipient, while memos are written for the jury.

8. 6. Emails can easily be shared Emails can easily be sent to individuals that do not need to see them. The recipient can easily share the email with others. A memo takes more effort to share. A memo will not be sent to a group.

9. 7. Emails received can help you. An email received from an employee that is emotion-laden can provide documentation. If you respond, do so in a crafted memo.

10. 8. Emails are public records Superintendent sends an email to a trustee about a concern. If trustee comments and sends his comments with ‘reply to all’, the trustees are in violation of the Texas Open Meeting Act. A delete of an email does not delete from the district server. Be careful what is sent via email—jokes, cute quips or sarcastic comments may be printed in the newspaper.

11. Newspapers make requests under the Texas Public Information Act. Items sent from home computer to a district computer become district information. Don’t send questionable information. If you receive questionable information, ask the district computer tech to remove the item(s)

12. Principals have been fired for having items that should not be on a district computer. How does the district know what is on your computer? You send a request for computer repair. The tech may find what you should not have. Don’t let anyone use your computer. What someone downloads on your computer is yours.