Politics & Government
School board pres talks potential policy change
Though no action was taken, the school board brought up the idea of changing its discrimination policy and the possibility of having a police officer sit in on the meetings.
On the heels of a by the Abington Board of Commissioners Jan. 13 on a proposed ordinance that would have provided discrimination protection to the gay and transgender community, Abington School Board President Raymond McGarry told the school board that he wants to look into such a policy for school district employees.
To kick off the Jan. 18 school board meeting, McGarry said that, as chairman of the policy committee, he wants to set up a policy meeting where the board and the public can discuss whether the district should amend its policy, as it relates to employees, to broaden who receives discrimination protection.
McGarry said the district already has a policy in place for students that covers discrimination against “sexual orientation and gender.”
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“I think that’s something important, something we should be doing,” McGarry said. “We should be looking at that and making sure that we have an appropriate non-discrimination policy.”
School board member Barry Stupine spoke in favor of the proposed ordinance during the Jan. 13 public hearing (speaking as a resident). During the school board meeting, he said that he thought state laws providing discrimination protection against the gay and transgender community are “never going to pass, so we’re going to talk about it here.”
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In other news, McGarry said he would like the school board to look into having an Abington Township police officer sit in on the school board meetings in the wake of the shooting at a Bay County School Board meeting in Panama City, Fla., in December.
None of the school board members was seriously injured, according to reports; the gunman took his own life.
Superintendent Amy Sichel said a police officer would cost $192 per meeting; there are about 20 meetings annually.
The board will discuss the issue at its Feb. 8 meeting, as the Jan. 25 meeting was cancelled.
And in lighter news, Sichel said a date has been set for the Abington Senior High School graduation — it’s Monday, June 13.
Check back soon for more school district news, including information regarding the 2011-12 proposed preliminary budget.
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