School board tables proposed children's safety/internet-safety flyer; forms committee to review

During committee discussion the board considered a proposed policy to distribute children's safety and internet-safety flyers in school restrooms, hallways and counselor offices.

Miss Hurstis, who introduced the idea, said the flyers were intended to provide students with resources and phone numbers tied to internet safety, sextortion and trafficking: "If a flyer, just a flyer, can help out 1 child, I think that is worth everything," she said, noting she worked with Thomas at Hope House on initial draft content.

Several board members raised concerns about format, audience and potential harm. Miss Baker said she had researched the issue and told the board she was "not in favor of this policy as it is written," arguing that narrowly focusing on trafficking could distort perceptions of child abuse and that posting material in bathrooms or to very young children could be inappropriate. Miss Fontenroy and Miss Gallagher asked that mental-health staff, guidance counselors and other professionals be included in any further work and pointed to existing state-required child abuse prevention curricula (Act 525) and other programs such as Common Sense Media and Scribe Stoppers (Crime Stoppers).

After discussion, Miss Fontenroy moved to table the policy and form a committee to develop a comprehensive, age-appropriate approach; Miss McCollum seconded. The motion to table and refer the proposal to a stakeholder committee passed 11 yeas and 1 nay.

Ending: The draft policy was not adopted. The board will convene a committee of board members, administrators and mental-health/counseling staff and consult outside experts (including Hope House and other child advocacy professionals) before returning a revised recommendation to the board.