Britton-Hecla board adopts KSB policy set, amends library-materials rule after public comment

Britton — The Britton-Hecla School District 45-4 Board of Education voted Aug. 12 to adopt a set of KSB policies customized by legal counsel and to retire the district’s prior policies, and separately adopted a revised library-materials policy with an amendment to its public-access language.

The policy set was approved on a motion by Board Member Landreth, seconded by Board Member Hawkinson. Chairman Troy Knecht, Landreth, Grupe and Hawkinson voted to adopt; Board Member Schuller voted no. The board had opened the meeting to public comment earlier and heard concerns about the policies before the vote.

Board materials note the KSB templates were modified to fit district needs and that trustees agreed to revisit and adjust policies when concerns are raised. The board also adopted Policy 6032, Selection and Review of Library Materials, with an amendment that removed optional bullets at the end and updated a paragraph to state materials are "located in hard copy or electronic format in school libraries," and added the sentence "Card catalogue and eBook list available online to the public." Those language changes were recorded as part of the motion the board approved.

Landreth had summarized the policy committee’s July briefing and recommended adopting the templates as a whole. Schuller provided an NESC report earlier in the meeting and later registered the lone dissent on the policy-set vote; the minutes do not state Schuller’s reasons for opposing adoption.

The board heard public comment on policies during an open forum that ran until 6:31 p.m. before the regular agenda resumed. Trustees said the adopted policies will be subject to future review and adjustment where community concerns are raised.

The board did not call an executive session and adjourned at 8:47 p.m.