By Stephen Smoot
Last week, the Pendleton County Board of Education held a special Thursday night meeting. This scheduling allowed them to give the first reading of a number of policy changes, many coming after State level actions. Some address the new technological realities in education, such as artificial intelligence and student use of cell phones.
While some changes included updating the language of existing policies, others have been significantly changed or just created this year. Some of the new policies came about as a result of statutes passed by the West Virginia State Legislature.
The meeting opened with the customary invocation from J. D. Wilkins, board of education president. He prayed, “We ask that You would bless those around our county that are having flooding.”
Under old business came the large item of “policies for review.” J. P. Mowery performed the legally required mentions of the policies changed or added. Second reading and vote for approval will take place in the next regular meeting on August 4.
Some of the policies reflect updated language. For example, the 5000 section of the policy manual covers issues related to students. The policy 5112 establishes entrance requirements for Pendleton County Schools. Mowery shared that the only change here, if approved, would be replacing the word “district” with “county.”
While a change in wording there does not affect the policy much, an alteration in section 5320 on immunization reflects changes in health care delivery systems. Currently, the section refers to “a document signed by a physician.” Recommended changes include expanding that to include other health care positions, such as physician’s assistant, used increasingly to deliver such services.
The board made no reference to Governor Patrick Morrisey’s executive order on religious rights and immunization, nor the West Virginia Department of Education’s lawsuit trying to overturn it. Policy continues to mandate certain vaccinations at certain ages to attend school in Pendleton County.
“This is a new policy,” said Mowery about 5505, which addresses academic honesty and the potential effect on it by use of artificial intelligence. Academic institutions at every level have struggled to ensure that student work remains original to them and not created for them by one of the many artificial intelligence programs accessible online.
The policy will create a “student acceptable use policy” that covers appropriate and allowable ways to use artificial intelligence. Mowery stated that as the technology “leap frogs” the need for it will continue to grow, as well as discussion on “what’s the best use of it.”
Students flagged for academic dishonesty through abuse of artificial intelligence can have their parents or guardians appeal to the Superintendent within five business days.
Sonny O’Neil, board member, asked about how schools will communicate the new policies on artificial intelligence and other changes that will affect students. Nicole Hevener, Pendleton County Schools superintendent, replied that “at the beginning of the school year, the principal goes over policies with staff.” Students will go over the handbook on their first day.
O’Neil stated that the schools need to get the policies somehow into students’ hands because the official student handbook will have gone to print before the Aug. 4 second reading and possible approval of the policies.
Another area of focus lies in section 5511, which covers “Dress and Grooming.” Mowery stated that “we haven’t had too many issues” when it comes to dress, grooming, and appearance. Policy changes will provide guidelines for what does and does not meet standards of accepted and “protected speech” in student clothing. Policy will also address how to enforce related rules in different situations.
As far as where to draw the line, he said, “I don’t have the answer to that, but here is policy trying to define it.”
Next came mention of policy changes under 5600, student discipline. These will mostly reflect legislation that empowers elementary school teachers to remove problem students from the class. While, again, Pendleton County has not seen a number of these troubling incidents, schools across the state have reported increasing violence from elementary school students.
Mowery explained that “multi-tiered layers of support” are in place to address these behaviors and the children who display them. Also, it has a lot of consequences, behaviors” and other details.
“Carrie Nesselrodt is one of the people looking through it diligently.”
Technology returns to the forefront in the 7000 section “Property.” Changes begin in the recognition of “smart” surveillance devices, notably those used to detect “vaping” from students. “Vapes” are electronic devices used to inhale nicotine or THC based products. Policy adjustments also impose “limits on use of information gathered.”
Section 7540 includes policy changes regarding technology and student use of it. Mowery explained that at one point, this section addressed only computers, but will soon likely focus on “personal communication devices” and applications used on them. He explained that to get the e rate money from the federally operated Universal Service Fund, school systems have to apply content filters to internet access.
“The board can add more filters,” Mowery stated. He went on to note that “certain websites are blocked. They could be unblocked if they are found to have educational value.”
United States Government offices also have content filters, though likely not all the same as those urged for use with schoolchildren.
Another area of concern lies in social media use and abuse. Policy changes will address cyberbullying, even though much of that could come in the context of off-campus behaviors. Mowery points out that state policy here “doesn’t say how to do it. It just says you need to do it.”
Artificial intelligence appears here as well. Guidelines state that its use “can supplement, not replicate, traditional learning.” Mowery added, “It’s there. It’s not going away. What do we do with it?”
Policy changes will govern acceptable use of artificial intelligence, including how to use it properly, as well as how and when to cite it.
The state legislature also passed an act requiring county school systems to create a policy governing student use of “personal electronic devices,” including telephones, notebooks, and other devices. As in many of the policy changes, boards have latitude in crafting policies that make the most sense for their counties. In Pendleton County, the policy will insist on the storing of PEDs, but waivers can be obtained for medical need, extracurricular activity situations, requirement by individualized education plan, and other situations.
Hevener stated that she wanted school bus drivers to have discretion over allowing devices on their runs, saying, “behavior that creates an unsafe environment will not be tolerated.”
