Committee sends library, videography, masks, automated‑call and transportation policies to subcommittee for review

Following an extended public forum the school committee voted to send a set of policies to the policy subcommittee and to school improvement teams for review. The items the committee directed to the subcommittee were: the transportation policy; the face masks/face coverings policy (COVID‑19 related); the automated call/notification system; the videography, photography and audio recording policy; and the library media policy.

Polly Hopkins had requested wider policy review; several public speakers urged the committee not to change the library media policy or Title IX protections. During the committee discussion Vice Chair Laura Chapman and others said that the policy subcommittee is the appropriate venue for technical review and community input. The chair noted the district’s legal counsel had indicated Title IX remained compliant with state and federal law; as a result the Title IX and gender‑nonconforming/transgender student policies were not part of this specific referral vote.

The motion to refer the five items to the policy subcommittee passed 6‑5. Committee members and administration emphasized that policy subcommittee meetings are public and invited community members to attend and participate. Several speakers at the meeting — including library media specialists and a former school district chair who is a retired library professional — reiterated that media specialists select collections to serve the full student body and urged the committee to preserve the district’s library practices.

The policy subcommittee will schedule public meetings to review the materials and report recommendations back to the full committee. Members asked the superintendent to coordinate with legal counsel and with the school improvement teams before bringing final recommendations to the board.