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Albemarle County School Board adopts revised student activities policy after hours-of-day, oversight changes
Summary
After 34 public commenters and hours of debate, the board adopted amended policy IGDA to restrict in-school external speakers to co‑curricular groups during the defined school day and clarified fundraising, termination and appeals procedures.
The Albemarle County School Board voted 5–1 to adopt revisions to policy IGDA on student activities after extensive public comment and several amendments.
Chair Berlin opened discussion on the policy after hearing a 34‑speaker public comment period in which students, parents, teachers, veterans and attorneys urged competing priorities. Student speaker Noah Kaufman said the draft would “kill Western Albemarle’s civil engagement,” arguing that limiting speakers and fundraising would curtail student dialogue. By contrast, Barbara Ruddy, a former teacher and central office administrator, told the board the revisions “do not include or result in the elimination of any existing student club” and instead clarify school and fundraising procedures.
Rusty Carlock, who presented staff recommendations, said the draft ties student fundraising to existing policies (KJA, KJB and JL) and that “all monies raised or collected by student organizations or clubs shall be school activity funds” and deposited with the school. Jackson Zimmerman, the school finance officer, cautioned that donations received and recorded by the school become board funds and must be managed under school and county rules.
Board members debated technical and legal questions: whether to define the “school day” by bell times or minutes before and after bells; how to treat large outside donations; and whether to add “political beliefs” to the list of protected characteristics. The board adopted an amendment to define the school day as 45 minutes before to 45 minutes after high‑school bells and 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after middle‑school bells. A motion to add “political beliefs” to the protected list was tied 3–3 and failed.
Another successful amendment inserted specific language about the process to terminate a club and an appeal route to the superintendent or designee. The final roll call on adoption recorded five votes in favor and one opposed; the policy was adopted and will take effect immediately.
The board characterized the revisions as an effort to protect instructional time, clarify the handling of student activity funds, and preserve compliance with federal and state law. Chair Berlin thanked speakers and staff and said the administration will return with implementation details and additional guidance to ensure consistent application across schools.
The board advanced related implementation items and signaled that further refinements—particularly around fundraising oversight and governance—may return to the dais for additional action.
