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Board reviews student conduct and senior-admission policy changes tied to new state laws
Summary
District staff presented revisions to policy DFGA (allowing picture ID for senior admission) and updates to student conduct policy JCD to align with SB 351 and state guidance, narrowing district cyberbullying jurisdiction to school-run activities; both items were placed for public review.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Thompson and policy lead Dr. J.B. Bowen briefed the board April 28 on two policy items. The superintendent recommended adopting a DFGA change to permit a picture ID to verify senior citizens eligible for free admission at district events, replacing a special issued card requirement.
Dr. Bowen then outlined proposed revisions to student-conduct policy JCD to reflect changes from SB 351 (the Protecting Georgia's Children on Social Media Act). He told the board the changes revise definitions of bullying to include effects beyond the right to an education while narrowing the district's cyberbullying purview to incidents that occur on school grounds, at school events, on school-owned devices or over the district network, rather than off-campus private platforms. "They've narrowed the scope and the purview of cyber bullying by limiting it to acts occurring at school, school events, school-owned devices or networks," he said.
Dr. Bowen said the draft uses suggested language from the Georgia School Boards Association and that the policy changes have been posted for public review; the superintendent recommended removing DFGA from the public review period and adopting the revision at the next meeting. Board members had no substantive objections during the session and directed staff to place the revised policies on the May 5 consent agenda for further consideration and public comment.
No formal vote on the JCD definitions occurred April 28; staff said the proposed text is posted and open for public review prior to the board's consideration.
