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Board reviews multiple policy updates: internet acceptable use, bullying, attendance and employee leave; safety policy approved for action
Summary
City Schools of Decatur presented statutory and regulatory‑driven revisions to Internet Acceptable Use, bullying, student attendance and employee leave policies; the board approved the revised safety policy EBB for action on June 10.
City Schools of Decatur presented revisions to several board policies during prework and the work session on June 10, reflecting changes required by recent state legislation and the district’s annual policy review.
Lede: legal staff and the superintendent’s office proposed updates to Internet Acceptable Use (ISBG) to reflect House Bill 351 (2024), a revised bullying policy (JCDAG) aligned with state limits on cyberbullying, an employee leave policy (GARH) updated for organ‑donor leave per House Bill 235 (effective July 1, 2025), and a student attendance policy (JB) revised to require procedures for identifying and supporting chronically absent students. Additionally, the safety policy (EBB) was approved for action at the work session after a public comment period produced no comments.
Nut graf: several of the updates are statutory—district staff explained that some language previously in regulations must be elevated to board policy by law, and the revisions were presented for board read, public comment via the district’s Simbli/Assembly platform and further drafting.
Highlights: Chief of Staff Amanda Lynch explained that the Internet Acceptable Use policy revisions respond to House Bill 351 and require policies reasonably designed to prevent student access to dangerous online materials, to include procedures for implementation and complaint handling. Lynch noted that accompanying regulations (ISDGR1) will be updated ahead of the 2025–26 school year as part of the district’s annual review of handbooks and regulations.
Bullying policy: staff noted Senate/House changes narrow cyberbullying coverage to acts that originate on campus or through district devices, shifting some language from regulation to policy; the board accepted the bullying policy for read with a motion by Board member Johnson Davis and a second by Board member Anderson and a recorded unanimous aye vote.
Employee leave: a revision to GARH adds entitlements for organ‑donor leave in response to HB 235, effective July 1, 2025. The board accepted the employee leave policy for read; staff said the employee handbook will be updated prior to the law’s effective date.
Student attendance: policy JB was revised after Senate Bill 123 to require procedures that identify and provide supports for chronically absent students. The board accepted the student attendance policy for read and a member requested to review the supporting regulations to better understand implementation details.
Safety policy (EBB): the safety policy was posted for public comment during the prework/read period; staff made a final legal revision to add that the school safety plan shall address behavioral health needs and establish a behavioral threat assessment and management plan. The board voted to approve policy EBB for action (motion by Board member Johnson Davis; second by Board member Us; unanimous aye vote recorded by the chair).
Process and next steps: policies presented for read will remain open for public comment on Assembly/simbli as appropriate; regulations that support each policy will be updated to reflect statutory requirements and to provide the procedural details board members requested.
Ending: the board took action only on the safety policy EBB at the June 10 meeting; other policy revisions were accepted for read and will return for future action after public comment and regulatory updates.
