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Caddo Parish School Board adopts Brentwood MOU with parental consent, approves social-media rule and insurance changes; awards calculator bid
Summary
At its Nov. 18 meeting the Caddo Parish School Board approved an MOU with Brentwood Hospital requiring written parental consent for student behavioral-health referrals, adopted a tighter employee social-media rule, approved insurance-plan changes, and awarded a calculator bid after rejecting a substitute motion to rebid.
The Caddo Parish School Board on Nov. 18 approved a memorandum of understanding with Brentwood Hospital of Shreveport to facilitate behavioral-health services for students, adopted a revision to its employee social-media policy, made changes to the district insurance program and awarded a bid for classroom calculators.
The board voted 11–0 with one abstention to approve the Brentwood MOU after adding a friendly amendment requiring parents or guardians to provide written consent before any behavioral-health services are provided through the program. Supporters said the MOU will expand confidential options for students in need; critics asked how the hospital’s services would differ from the more than two dozen agencies the board already works with. “Mental health is one of our biggest problems,” said board member Miss Bale during debate, urging the board to move forward. Superintendent John Glover, speaking as a citizen, asked whether sharing medical information with Brentwood raised privacy concerns and pressed the board for clarity on how referrals would be made.
On the procurement item for calculators (bid #07-26), staff recommended awarding the contract to Focus Camera LLC. Dr. Vincent moved to reject all bids and rebid to increase local vendor participation; the substitute motion failed after attorney guidance that rejecting a compliant bid requires documented rationale and could invite legal challenge. The original motion to award the bid was then approved.
The board also adopted a revision to policy EFAB to prohibit employees from posting content that “supports, incites, or glorifies unlawful violence or threats of harm” when that content risks disrupting workplace efficiency or undermining public trust; counsel told members the language aligns with case-law standards the district can enforce under existing employee-conduct rules. Members discussed enforcement and legal risk before approving the change.
Separately, the board approved proposed changes to the district’s self-funded insurance plan, including a 7.5% premium increase and a requirement that certain retired spouses enroll in Medicare Part A and B with limited exceptions; discussion focused on retirees’ concerns about Medicare Advantage vs. traditional Medicare and potential out-of-pocket costs. Board materials show the insurance motion carried by an 8–4 vote.
The meeting also added and adopted a late resolution honoring Officer Mark Brock of the Vivian Police Department, who also served as an assistant football coach at North Caddo schools. The board placed the resolution in its permanent records.
The board scheduled an ad hoc committee meeting to discuss local vendor participation for Dec. 10 and closed the meeting with routine announcements and adjournment.
