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Board approves medication-administration policy; consent agenda passes with one dissent on immunizations
Summary
The St. Mary's County Board of Education approved revised policy JHCD (administration of medication to students) and a consent agenda that included student attendance, homelessness language and immunization policy; one board member voted against the consent agenda citing objections to immunization requirements.
The St. Mary's County Board of Education on Sept. 24 approved revisions to policy JHCD (administration of medication to students) and adopted the consent agenda, which included minutes, personnel items and several policies, though one board member opposed the consent agenda over concerns about immunization requirements.
Policy action: board members voted to approve policy JHCD on second reading. Presenters said the policy updates align legal references and clarify family notification about “stock emergency medicines” available at schools; annual notification will occur via the Saint Mary's County Public Schools student handbook and a PowerPoint provided to students (with students in approximately grades 3–12 completing an assessment in Schoology). The presenters said there were no substantive changes to the purpose, policy statement, definitions or review requirements from the previously posted draft, and that no public comments were received during the public-hearing period.
Consent agenda: the consent agenda included approval of Sept. 10 minutes; personnel items; and policies listed as: JE (student attendance), JH (homelessness language revised to say students are "experiencing homelessness" and fall under McKinney-Vento), JHCC (immunizations of students), and ACA (educational equity). Board members approved the consent agenda; one board member registered opposition and later explained their vote as a conscience-based objection to the immunization policy.
Dissent and board response: a board member who voted no delivered a public explanation describing personal concerns about the number of required immunizations and noting available waivers; that member said they could not in good conscience approve the immunization policy. A different board member, identifying experience as a former critical care nurse, spoke in favor of vaccines and urged confidence in their safety and effectiveness.
Votes and procedure: both actions were recorded as approved by the board at the meeting. The motion to approve policy JHCD was moved and seconded on the record; the board carried the motion. The consent agenda motion was moved and seconded and carried with one recorded opposition.
What the policy change means: presenters said JHCD’s principal substantive addition is annual notification to families about available emergency medication and the mechanism for that notice (student handbook and related digital materials). No new operational changes to medication administration protocols were identified in the presentation.
Ending: The board will continue to post updated policies and meeting materials on the SMCPS website. The next regular meeting was announced for Oct. 8 with an executive session at 8 a.m. and an open meeting at 9 a.m.
