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School committee adopts multiple policy changes, including Title IX reversion and security-camera revisions
Summary
The committee voted to revert several Title IX–related policies to the 2021 text with targeted protected-class language retained, removed four procedural policies from the manual, and approved updates to student-safety and auxiliary policies including walkers/riders, security cameras, animals in school, advertising and fundraising.
The Hingham School Committee approved a package of policy changes on a second reading that includes actions to align local policies with state guidance and to clarify operational procedures.
On Title IX-related policies, the committee voted to revert selected policies (AC, ACA, ACAB) to the May 2021 language following changes at the federal level; the policy subcommittee recommended removing several procedural policies (ACR, ACAR, ACGA, ACGB) from the published manual so procedures would remain in administrative documents rather than the policy book. The subcommittee also recommended retaining expanded protected-class language (including specified stereotypes and characteristics) within the local protections so students remain covered at the municipal level.
The committee approved edits to student-safety policies. EEAA (Walkers and Riders) was amended to align with updated bus fees and local practices and was approved. ECAF (security cameras) was revised after consultation with the Police Department; the MOU that governs viewing live feeds was noted as outside tonight’s vote, but the policy was changed to say students or staff identified in camera footage "may be subject to disciplinary action" in order to remain consistent with the collective bargaining agreement.
The committee amended IMG (Animals in School) and added IMGA (Service Animals in School) to separate general animals-in-classroom rules from service-animal provisions. The committee also approved KHBA (Advertising in Schools) with language adding the superintendent or designee as the approving official for fundraising-related advertisements; JJE (Student Fundraising Activities) was updated to acknowledge families' differing resources; and BHE (Use of Electronic Messaging by School Committee Members) was updated to remove obsolete language and correct cross-references.
Committee members said district attorneys and MASC (Massachusetts Association of School Committees) counsel will perform final reviews as needed after the committee votes. All motions in this package were approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
