Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) School Board members on Tuesday considered several district policy revisions mandated by changes in state law. Three amended policies required parental permission for student participation in school clubs, school surveys, and certain health screenings.
State law passed this last session, includes new options for parents/guardians regarding certain extracurricular activities and district actions. Specifically, this new law: (1) requires parents/guardians to opt in before their minor child joins a school club or participates in the activities of a club; (2) requires parents/guardians to opt in, rather than opt-out before a student under 18 participates in a non-instructional survey, analysis, or evaluation; and (3) gives parents/guardians the ability to opt-out of health screenings conducted as part of the coordinated school health program.
Adoption approval came after a lengthy discussion exploring possible alternative action and a reluctantly held vote.
Committee Chair Emily Masters opened the policy revision conversation by declaring the policy change was “troubling and problematic” on two levels.
“Just the phenomenon of the parent having to get the paper and, you know opting into the club,” Master said. “A lot of clubs happen during the school day. These are lovely wonderful things that school children get to do, I know, I am certainly guilty of not paying attention to everything that comes home from school.”
The committee chair continued, “Then, of course, the other side, that it could remove safe spaces for children, in a lot of cases. So I know it’s state law, I just have to say my piece about it.”
Board Member Abigail Tylor said, “Do these activities of a club or organization, is there any wiggle room in what time of day the activity takes place?”
Tylor asked for clarification on how the statute defines a club or organization. Board Chair Rachel Elrod picked up on that thread and asked if a lunchtime speaker from the community hosted by a school would fall under the policy purview.
Nashville’s academic magnet high school, Hume-Fog, often invites speakers from various backgrounds to present as a part of a lunch-and-learn program hosted by the school. It has been very popular with students and rarely treads into controversial topics.
Board advisor Dr. David Sevier told board members that it is his interpretation that the law applies to all school or district-sanctioned activities whenever they take place.
Board Chair Elrod further asked if the forms had to be completed annually or if it was one-and-done. Her fear was that the added paperwork could burden the district’s clubs and organizations.
Board Member Erin O’Hara-Block expressed concerns over possible impacts on the district-sponsored Panorama survey. The survey is administered annually and attempts to measure the concerns and opinions of students.
Block praised the survey, but it has often come under fire nationally for its emphasis on questions relating to race and gender identity.
The 6-12 grade student SEL survey asks kids how often they “learn about, discuss and confront issues of race, ethnicity, and culture in school,” Panorama Education’s website showed. Through a series of questions, the survey measures “how diverse, integrated and fair school is for students from different races, ethnicities or cultures.”
Parents have continually raised concerns over the appropriateness of the survey questions.
“I am also concerned about the way this policy could disenfranchise students from participating in clubs and organizations if their parents are not active in the school,” Board Member Dr. Berthena Nabba-McKinney said. “I hope the state understands the implications it has for urban school districts, like ours. Rural school districts, students across the state, whose parents aren’t as active in their child’s education.”
Chairwoman Masters said, “Parents are busy. I mean, it could be as simple as that. You don’t get to do it because your parents are busy.”
Before the proposed policy was voted on, Block asked for clarification.
“These things are already in law. Therefore, we don’t really have any leeway in adding them. Unless we want to go against state law,” she said.
Sevier confirmed that they were and added that he always advises that district policy aligns with state law as much as possible to avoid confusion.
The committee voted 4-2 to approve the policy revisions. The two nay votes came from Masters and former Board Chair Sharon Gentry. Current board chair Elrod, Block, Nabba-Mckinney, and Vice-Board Chair Freda Player, voted to approve.
After the vote, Master said, “So it passed. Barely. It doesn’t matter, they are going to do what they want to do.”
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TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
