Scituate School Committee to Review Updated Title IX Policies

New federal regulations prompt changes to grievance procedures, while cell phone policy and student concerns also discussed

SCITUATE, MA - September 23 - The school committee is set to review updated Title IX policies to align with new federal regulations at its next meeting. The changes primarily affect grievance procedures for sex-based harassment and discrimination, with no new rules governing athletic team eligibility.

Committee members were briefed on the policy updates during their recent meeting. The revisions are part of a nationwide effort to bring school districts into compliance with federal Title IX regulations.

"You'll see districts around the Commonwealth and there's some of their first few meetings following suit doing what we're doing," said Assistant Superintendent Ryan Lynch. "Sometimes people see Title IX and they wonder about sports. In this case, the final regulations do not include any new rules governing eligibility criteria for athletic teams."

The updated policies outline what people can expect if they want to follow the Title IX process for sex-based harassment or discrimination. While Massachusetts schools are already largely aligned with the new federal guidelines, the changes ensure full compliance.

Committee members will review the draft policies before voting on them at their Oct. 7 meeting. Lynch will serve as the district's Title IX coordinator will be responsible for implementing the new procedures and training staff.

In other business, student representatives provided updates on the high school's new cell phone policy. One student reported, "I think cell phones pose a great risk to the education and mental health of students. I think the implementation of this new cell phone plan has been very successful and has gone without practically any opposition from my peers."

Another student added, "I believe that the system of putting the phones away during class, but having them be allowed outside of class and during home is a good policy and a good balance of having and not having your phones."

The policy requires students to put phones away during class time but allows use during lunch and passing periods. School administrators view it as a compromise that respects students while minimizing classroom distractions.

Student representatives also voiced concerns about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts and mental health support at the high school. One student statement read, "Central High School needs to do better with value and diversity, equity and inclusion and treating them with the same importance of sports games. Central High School also needs to focus more on providing mental health support to students due to the epidemic of depression running through our school and country."

In response, committee members expressed interest in hearing more about current DEI and mental health initiatives at a future meeting. Superintendent William Burkhead noted that High School Principal Marc Loranger can share results from a recent student leadership survey addressing these topics.

The committee also approved two field trips for the Model United Nations club. Students will attend conferences at Harvard University in January and in Geneva, Switzerland in March.

Club advisors emphasized the academic value of the trips, particularly the international conference. "This is a real academic trip, which I think, you know, with some touristy stuff, but the majority of what they're doing is really academic, both preparation and while they're there," said faculty advisor Mrs. Willinger.

Student officers spoke passionately about the program's benefits. "Model UN, what it does is allowing us to go for these extra days where we may miss, we may miss two more days of school than we would if we otherwise went and made it there right for Thursday and flew straight back. You get the experience of being in another culture that you get with all these other exchange trips, but you also tack on that academic value," said one student leader.

The committee approved both trips, though some members expressed concern about students missing up to five days of classes for the Switzerland conference. Advisors assured the committee that students work diligently to stay caught up on schoolwork during trips.