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Committee amends animal-in-schools policy to require principal review and rabies verification
Summary
The committee split and amended the district's animal-in-schools policy, adding language that animals cannot be brought into schools without principal (or designee) permission and an appropriate review of rabies vaccination; members discussed how that interacts with service-animal protections.
The Wachusett Regional School Committee voted to amend policy 6637 (animals in schools) to add a requirement that "no animal shall be brought to school without prior permission from the building principal or designee and appropriate review of the rabies vaccination."
Member Klein raised that proof-of-rabies language was previously placed in a footnote and could be overlooked; she moved to bring the requirement forward into the policy text. The committee debated whether service-animal protections under federal law could limit questions administrators may ask, and legal counsel had previously reviewed the split of policies (6637/6638) to avoid lapses in coverage.
After a motion, a roll-call vote approved the amendment, and the committee approved a second amendment to allow a principal’s designee to grant permission when appropriate. Several members said the change was editorial and a common-sense clarification to ensure building administrators look for vaccination documentation when an animal (including visiting or therapy animals) is approved to enter school buildings.
Committee members asked staff to ensure the language and footnotes are consistent across the two split policies and to clarify procedures for service animals versus other animals so principals and school staff understand what they may request given federal protections for service animals.
The committee advanced the amended policy under the required reading rules for the stage it was at that night; further refinement may come in subsequent policy-subcommittee work.
