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Board reviews policy updates to align with state laws on cyberbullying and student devices
Summary
Paulding County assistant superintendent presented recommended revisions to anti-bullying and student electronic-device policies to comply with recent Georgia laws, expanding an electronic-device ban to K–12 and adding cyberbullying language aligned to OCGA 20-2-751. The board discussed communication plans if policies are approved.
Assistant Superintendent Greg Musgrove presented recommended revisions to two board policies on June 11 to align district rules with recent state enacted measures.
Musgrove told the board that senate bill 351 (the "Protecting Georgia Children on School Social Media Act") and house bill 268 (the School Safety and Student Well-being Act) "added requirements for school districts related to bullying, particularly cyberbullying," and recommended edits to policy JCDAG to reflect OCGA 20-2-751. He also described revisions to policy JCDAF after House Bill 1009 expanded an existing ban on electronic devices from K–8 to K–12. "We are recommending the changing from an 8 to a 12 to be in compliance from House Bill 1009," Musgrove said.
Musgrove said the policy language would apply to instruction "bell to bell" at the high school level and that the district will begin communications to parents and students in the weeks after board approval. He and Superintendent Barnett noted this is an operational change that will require district planning and outreach.
Why it matters: The changes implement state law requirements and alter day-to-day rules for student device use in classrooms and for anti-cyberbullying enforcement. Board members asked for clarifications about specific language and about how the changes would be implemented; Musgrove said communications will begin only after formal board approval.
Procedural note: The policy revisions were presented as information at this meeting and will appear on the consent agenda for formal consideration at the June 23 meeting unless the board takes other action.
