School committee moves staff-owned therapy and emotional-support dog policy to second reading

The Franklin School Committee voted unanimously to move a revised policy on therapy and emotional-support dogs (policy IMGB) to a second reading, clearing the way for a cleaner draft to be presented at the next meeting.

At first reading the policy was described as a reorganization and clarification of requirements rather than a substantive expansion. Dr. Rogers explained that the updated draft narrows the proposal to “therapy and emotional support dogs,” requires documentation and handler-employee status, and gives the superintendent sole discretion to approve or revoke any animal’s presence on school property. "The way the policy is written is that it would be a staff member who has an emotional-support or therapy dog that's trained," Dr. Rogers told the committee, specifying that the handler must be a Franklin Public Schools employee.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about which animals would be covered and whether schools would own or hire animals. The district staff confirmed the policy is written to allow existing employees to bring trained dogs they already own; it does not create a new staff position or expect the district to maintain animals as part of regular operations. Committee members also asked the administration to present a cleaned-up version of the policy with the recommended edits shown in normal type (rather than redline) before the second reading.

The roll-call vote to advance the policy was unanimous. The chair and superintendent said the administration will return with a final, consolidated text for the committee’s second reading and public notice.

Next steps: the administration will publish a revised text for the committee’s second reading and the public will be able to review that version before the committee votes on final adoption.