BCSC looks to policy changes including sex ed, sunscreen, computer classes

Bartholomew Consolidated Schools are looking at policy changes, in a variety of different areas. The school board heard a long list of proposals last night for issues ranging from sunscreen, to sex education and the inclusion of computer science classes at all grade levels.

The changes were mostly being made to comply with changes to state law, said Dr. Jim Roberts, the school superintendent. Those included changes such as allowing students to bring and to use sunscreen, which had previously been classified as a medicine requiring involvement of a school nurse. The state is also requiring schools to notify parents of upcoming human sexuality classes giving them a chance to review materials beforehand and also to opt their child out of the class.

The district would also be instituting computer science classes at all grade levels and reclassifying physical education classes as health classes, Roberts said.

The biggest discussion last night was around the security and search policies surrounding metal detectors. Although the district has no plans to install walk-through metal detectors, a policy would be put into place to regulate their use, as well as the hand-held metal detectors issued by the state last year. Those would require training and guidelines on when and how they would be used, and how students would be searched if necessary.