Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Policy Compliance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears legal updates on Internet safety policy and mental-health opt-in changes to comply with state law
Summary
Board attorney reviewed updates to the district Internet safety policy to comply with the FOCUS Act (blocking unsafe platforms and restricting social media access), and explained Alabama Act 2022-442 amendments that require parental opt-in for mental-health services for students under 16, with exceptions for suspected abuse or urgent grief counseling.
The board received two legal-policy briefings from district counsel on internet safety and student mental-health services.
Internet safety: Attorney Erica Powell told the board that the FOCUS Act requires an Internet safety policy for school districts and that the district’s updated draft revises the acceptable-use policy to block unsafe and unsecure online communications, limit access to unlawfully obtained information, and restrict student access to social media platforms unless a teacher authorizes use for instructional purposes. Powell said the draft language is intended to bring the district into compliance with the FOCUS Act’s requirements.
Mental-health services opt-in age change: Powell also summarized Alabama Act 2022-442 and its recent revision that raises the age threshold for parental opt-in from under 14 to under 16. She said the statute provides exceptions that allow the district to provide services without opt-in in cases of suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation, or when immediate grief counseling is necessary.
What the board received: Board members were provided highlighted draft policy language for both items; Powell said the revised drafts would put Montgomery County Public Schools into compliance with state law. No final policy vote was taken at the work session; staff indicated the items would return for formal board action as part of the consent or a future meeting packet.
