Worthington board conducts first reading on Neola policy updates; trustees keep gender/orientation language

The Worthington Board of Education conducted a first reading Nov. 12 of multiple Neola policy updates covering nondiscrimination provisions, technical corrections and a new transportation supplement. Policy committee members framed the changes as necessary to align district policy with recent regulatory edits and to harmonize language across staff and student policy sections.

Committee members told trustees they reviewed draft changes with legal counsel and chose to retain the phrases "orientation and gender identity" in Policy 2266 and analogous sections rather than remove them. "We did choose not to remove the term orientation and gender identity, and we did run that by our council," a committee member said. Trustees discussed specific wording choices that could imply higher-education admissions processes, including several instances where the draft used "applicants for enrollment" rather than the more typical K-12 phrasing for "enrollment." The committee agreed to revise those passages before second reading.

Board members also asked about breastfeeding language in policy 1422 (and related cross-references); the committee said it intentionally harmonized breastfeeding protections across staff, certified and classified personnel sections by copying language from a recently adopted policy. Trustees asked whether signage for lactation rooms is required and were told arrangements vary by school.

A new transportation supplement policy (referred to in discussion as 41 62 01) was added to give the district a future option it does not presently exercise, and trustees discussed drug and alcohol testing protocols should the district use that transportation option.

The policy committee plans to return with revised language for second reading at the next meeting; trustees were asked to flag inconsistencies and technical edits in the draft policy packet in the intervening period.