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Board updates: cell-phone policy draft advancing; Title IX and diversity guidance remain on hold pending state-federal alignment
Summary
The policy committee reported progress drafting a student cell-phone policy and said state and federal Title IX guidance conflicts currently keep the district on the prior Title IX procedures; trustees also heard that new diversity guidance for hiring and admissions was expected from the state.
Policy committee members told the board on Feb. 24 that they are close to presenting a draft district cell-phone policy for public review and that other policy areas are in a holding pattern pending outside guidance.
The committee reviewed sample policies from the Ohio Department of Education, Cincinnati Public Schools, Lebanon City Schools and others and worked toward a junior-high cell-phone expectation that the district could scale. Committee members said they had gathered community and building-level feedback and that the draft is near ready for broader input.
Separately, administration told trustees that a recent change to Ohio law concerning bathroom access and single-user restrooms was ready in district buildings: the district has single-user restrooms available in all buildings and has reviewed signage to avoid deterring student use. The administration said it had briefed principals and the administrative team on implementation.
On Title IX, administration said the new federal-state discrepancy is unresolved: the district is still following the prior Title IX practice until federal and state positions are reconciled to avoid legal liability. Trustees were also told to expect additional guidance on diversity-related hiring and admissions from the state by Feb. 28; administration and legal counsel are watching for more direction and will propose policy revisions if required.
Why it matters: The cell-phone policy draft responds to building- and parent-level requests for consistent expectations across junior high schools; the Title IX and diversity items involve legal compliance and potential changes to district procedures.
Board members said they want the policy committee to bring a proposed draft for board review and community comment and to update trustees when the state provides clarity on the Title IX and diversity guidance.
Ending: The policy committee will continue work on the cell-phone policy and will schedule a committee meeting to review recent legislative changes and NEOLA guidance once additional legal direction is available.
