07/21/17 — A special called meeting of the board of education Tuesday will not include discussion on redistricting

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A special called meeting of the board of education Tuesday will not include discussion on redistricting

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on July 21, 2017 1:41 PM

District 4 Rep. Jennifer Strickland

The Wayne County Board of Education will hold a special called meeting Tuesday, but will not discuss redistricting as some board members had hoped.

The board voted earlier this month to begin working on redrawing district lines, with the goal of having the project done by the start of the 2018-19 school year. This would allow the district to preempt state class size legislation, which has both the school system and county commissioners looking for ways to cope.

District 2 Rep. Len Henderson said after the vote that he hoped redistricting would be part of the June 25 work session.

The agenda, released Thursday afternoon, does not include any mention of redistricting. The school system is still in the very early stages of determining how to accomplish the lengthy, complex process.

It was not clear if the district has any concrete plans for when they will bring something before the board. School district administrative staff could not be reached for comment Friday, as the district is closed on Fridays during the summer.

As for the meeting itself, the board will discuss several policies including a tobacco-free schools initiative which drew some criticism at the board's June 10 meeting.  

Policy 7250, the tobacco-free schools policy, bans the use of any tobacco products by anyone -- students, staff and visitors -- on Wayne County Public Schools campuses. In addition to cigarettes and other lighted products, the policy also bans chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes, vaporizers and other electronic smoking devices even if they do not contain tobacco or nicotine.

The policy extends to any school-sponsored events not held on school property. No one attending these events is allowed to use tobacco products when in the presence of students or school personnel, or in an area where tobacco products are already prohibited by law.

Under the new policy, WCPS staff can receive a verbal warning for their first offense. Next comes a written warning, followed by a formal letter and referral to the employee assistance program. Further infractions can be cause for suspension or dismissal.

Non-WCPS staff can receive a verbal warning, a written warning and a certified ban letter.

District 4 Rep. Jennifer Strickland took issue with the inclusion of chewing tobacco, saying that using dip at a school event should not carry the same consequences as smoking.

"I'm standing around the fence at a basketball game and I want to take a dip, I'm not allowed to. You can be banned from campus," she said. "I don't mind the smoking portion, if we have a smoke-free campus."

Strickland said that the policy would "open up Pandora's Box," and lead to banning sodas, candy bars and other things deemed "unhealthy" for students.

Mrs. Strickland, Chairman Arnold Flowers and District 1 rep. Chris West voted against the policy. Henderson, District 3 rep. Patricia Burden, District 6 rep. Richard Pridgen and At-Large rep. Raymond Smith Jr. voted in favor, accepting the motion 4-3.