Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Policy Pregnant Students topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
RSU 5 board adopts pregnant-students policy; changes required Title IX notification language
Summary
The board voted unanimously to adopt policy JIE on pregnant students in a second-read action that removes a staff notification requirement and changes mandated language about Title IX coordinator contact from 'must' to 'may'. The administration cited a federal court decision that affected the April 2024 Title IX rule as context for the change.
The RSU 5 Board of Directors on Jan. 22 adopted policy JIE, “Pregnant students,” at second read, eliminating a sentence that had required employees to notify the district Title IX coordinator and replacing a mandatory “must” with “may” in the section on providing coordinator contact information.
The policy clarifies the district’s responsibilities to students who are pregnant or have pregnancy-related conditions and, according to administrators, is intended to restate existing Title IX obligations rather than create new requirements. Board member Colin summarized the legal context: “As some of you may have heard, on January 9th, a, US District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, declared the regulations that were included in the April 2024 Biden administration title 9 final rule ruled those to be unconstitutional,” he said, adding that the district’s counsel advised the policy should still articulate the obligations the district already has under Title IX.
Why it matters: the change removes a sentence administrators said could dissuade students from disclosing pregnancy by making subsequent notification mandatory; replacing “must” with “may” preserves administrators’ discretion to share Title IX coordinator contact information while making the district’s practices and student rights clearer.
Board discussion and action
During discussion Colin explained that the struck sentence — which would have required an employee to notify the Title IX coordinator after conversations with nursing staff and administrators — was removed because administrators and counsel concluded it was unnecessary and could chill student disclosure. Colin said the policy “simply articulates and makes clear to the community, to students, to, their families, what these obligations are and what their rights are under title 9.”
Board member Kara asked whether the legal reference on the policy document needed updating; administrators confirmed the main statutory reference to the Education Amendments of 1972 would remain. The board took a formal motion for second read and approval; the motion passed with all in favor and none opposed.
What changed
- Struck sentence: an employee would no longer be required to notify the Title IX coordinator following a conversation about pregnancy-related conditions. - Wording change: section A was amended to replace the word “must” with “may” regarding providing Title IX coordinator contact information to students or parents/guardians.
Administration’s rationale
Administrators said the motion reflects counsel advice and the view that the policy restates duties the district has always held under Title IX rather than adding new obligations; the board approved the language change after the second-read vote.
