Note: Although not discussed publicly, the Board was made aware, and ultimately communicated with parents, the presence of Internet postings alluding to acts of violence aimed at the schools for December 1st. Students reported they were solicited to participate via an online social networking group; local and county police are working to trace the origins.
Out of School Conduct
The regional high school Board of Education met recently with a variety of important issues discussed. Nepotism, grading policies, and the impending adoption of the out of school conduct code were all on the table as an unusually large number of residents filled the Board’s conference room for a public work session.
The discussion over the proposed code which has been reported on in previous articles such as Out of School Conduct and Rights, Rules & Responsibility, has met with continued opposition from parents who believe the schools should not involve themselves in the familial or legal problems of families. They protest The Board’s intention to suspend students who are accused of a crime or code violation for an incident that occurs off campus. Originally pulled from the agenda to allow the new interim superintendent time to review certain sections, it was open to public discussion due to the many residents who came out to be heard.
Terry Meese, who has consistently voiced her opposition to the proposed code, has offered an alternative which she believes makes it compliant with state law. Having questioned the authority of the Board to legally impose the new code, her proposal offers a safety mechanism that might provide some element of protection to student rights. The NJ laws governing the situation allows the Board of Ed to implement regulations that protect the learning environment. The proposal by Ms. Meese would require a school administrator to certify how a specific off campus action may be negatively impacting the school environment. By requiring the administration to identify the cause and effect may raise the bar as to how easily school administrators can mete out punishment for behavior not related to school functions.
The subject continues to bring out new faces who feel that the School Board is overstepping its bounds. A previous meeting, where the code was almost adopted, raised the topic of lawsuits that may be filed in response to the proposed policy. The most recent meeting had additional voices cautioning that lawsuits filed over the controversial code would have a direct impact on school funds as the Board readies for what is expected to be another difficult budget season. Although similar codes have been upheld around the country, they continue to be challenged in the courts. One of the most recent being in Loveland, Ohio where a football player suspended for drinking over the summer has won an initial court battle allowing him to play. The school district there has appealed, and the case now is at the First District Court of Appeals.
Parents and students in Rhode Island are also struggling with a similar code. One student put forth a scenario that FLOW parents have also raised. The RI student’s concern was, “As a captain, if I get a call from a girl on my team who has been drinking alcohol, I’m going to go and pick her up, I want to keep her safe.” She asked if that could be construed as being in the presence of alcohol?
The Board will continue to allow public debate on the issue and is scheduling at least 2 more public readings prior to adoption.
Nepotism
The subject of nepotism in hiring practices was also discussed. The heated debate on this issue revolves around one area where a consensus has not been reached. Board member Ira Belsky made an emotional argument that the children of Board members should be disqualified from applying for any seasonal hiring, e.g. summer programs. Naming names, he believed that certain Board members should recuse themselves from even voting on the issue as they had a personal involvement with their children being employed by the district.
Those opposed to a blanket disqualification argued that there was no evidence that nepotism played a role in any past hirings. They did not believe that being disqualified from consideration was fair to those children who may be viable candidates for a position, and a parent’s role on the Board should not be held against them. One remedy being discussed is to have the Board approve the hiring of any member’s child to assure that nepotism did not play a role.
Grading System
6.0 may be familiar to many has a high rating on the Reichter scale for an earthquake, but it is not very common for a high school grading scale. Council member Tom Madigan raised the question as to why the district continues to utilize a grading system that is out of the norm and creates confusion for students applying to various colleges. He contends that the scale used by the district has negatively impacted students seeking scholarships or acceptance due to it requiring colleges to put forth additional effort in reviewing grades.
School districts vary in how they structure their grading system and incorporate the reflection of more advanced courses so students are not penalized for taking a difficult subject. This structure also needs to take into consideration those students who opt to take a course that might hold a particular interest for them but are not considered advanced.
A county in Virginia who employs the 6.0 scale is in a similar situation with regards to students being negatively impacted by the uncommon grading structure. Parents and business leaders there have organized under the banner of FairGrade.org where they make the argument of why the grading system needs to be changed.
Off Topic
One resident, in the final minutes of the meeting, offered some suggestions to the Board with regards to their inability to get the school budget passed. Explaining that there is a perception that the regional high schools operate outside of the community at large, he suggested that a concerted effort be made to make the schools more a part of community life. Towards this end, he suggested that they consider the possibility of sponsoring a film festival with submissions open to the general public, and actively include middle school students. He also commented that a Senior Art show incorporating art work from senior students and senior citizens might help bridge a lack of communication between the various demographics in the community.