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USD 383 board approves state‑mandated student device and AI policies in 6–1 vote
Summary
The Manhattan‑Ogden USD 383 board voted 6–1 to adopt new student personal electronic device and artificial‑intelligence acceptable‑use policies required by state statute after a heated debate about local control and administrative burden. Board members and staff said the policy will need handbook updates and submission to the state by the statutory deadline.
The Manhattan‑Ogden USD 383 Board of Education voted 6–1 to adopt three new policies — JCDC (student personal electronic communications devices), IIBE (use of artificial intelligence) and IIBF (acceptable‑use guidelines) — after a lengthy debate about state requirements and local control.
Board discussion centered on whether the district should follow the statute’s prescribed language or preserve the locally developed device policy the board previously approved. Board member Lou argued the changes represent state overreach, saying, “I mean, it it just calls me that we're being dictated to and that local control as a USD ... is being eroded” and objected to mandatory changes imposed by the Legislature. The board president said she would vote against changing the locally developed policy, calling it a community effort that has worked for the district.
District staff urged the board to adopt a local policy that narrows statutory language to give administrators guidance and protection while implementing the law. A district administrator noted, “This was signed by the governor as well. This is a law of the state of Kansas, which we're bound to whether it says in our policy or not,” and argued a board‑level policy provides uniform direction for building leaders and staff.
Board members who supported adoption said passing a policy now does not prevent later changes and gives the district tools to administer the law consistently. Katie, a board member who voted in favor, said the change will provide “parents [and] students more protection from the screen” for younger grade bands while allowing adjustments in handbooks and building practices.
The vote carries practical effects: the board directed administration to update student handbooks to reflect the new policies, prepare redline copies for board review, and submit required documentation to the state by the statutory deadline. Board members also noted the district may revisit language if clarifications or amendments to the statute emerge before school starts.
The board’s action followed a broader agenda that included budget projections, capital projects and a presentation about a proposed north‑campus TIF; the meeting closed with routine business and adjournment.
