Parents press board on vaping discipline and East Ward boundary review
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Summary
During public comment residents alleged inconsistent vaping enforcement at West High and urged the board to form a committee to review long-standing East Ward elementary boundary splits that parents say harm students’ social integration.
Several community members used the public-comment period on Nov. 12 to raise specific concerns about school discipline and boundary lines.
Mary Cosgrove of West Bradford told the board that West High’s enforcement of Board Policy 02/22 on tobacco and vaping has been inconsistent and that her son was placed in in-school suspension without parents being notified or any evidence found during a search. “My son was placed in ISS before we were even notified as the parents with no evidence of vaping or possession of any vaping products,” Cosgrove said, and she asked for an informal hearing with the superintendent and the attendant to review how the policy is being applied.
Abigail Throne and Gina Zach asked the board to add a discussion of East Ward boundaries and the split that separates Williamsburg and Norwood House students into secondary cohorts. Throne said she is concerned about the social and mental-health impact on children who move into secondary schools with a much smaller cohort of former elementary classmates. Zach said she submitted enrollment numbers in a follow-up email and asked the board to form a committee to examine the split. “All we're asking is to form a committee, look at this, and make a more informed decision,” Zach said.
Other speakers raised staffing and compensation concerns, including a comment that paraprofessionals’ starting wages (noted in public comment as approximately $16.40/hour) could make it difficult to retain staff.
Board members did not announce a formal review or immediate corrective action during the public-comment period, but the requests were entered for board consideration.
