By: Anthony Rifilato
The Board of Education is discussing two new policies that would outline how student searches are conducted at school and potentially provide more clarity to school administrators.
At its meeting last week, the board discussed implementing policies that outline student searches by school district personnel and student interrogation and searches by police. "It's a clarification of responsibilities," school board President James Scannell said after the meeting. "It was just not as clearly defined [before]."
School Superintendent Kathy Weiss said that following a recent New York State School Boards Association meeting she attended, where the topic of student searches was discussed, the Baldwin School District should have a policy that "protects the rights of our students" while at the same time giving personnel a specific set of guidelines.
Under the New York State Department of Education, the district does have rules when it comes to student and police searches. But the new policy, if adopted, would clarify how school administrators conduct student searches based on "reasonable suspicion" -- which means, for instance, that students can be asked under such circumstances to open their bookbags or coat pockets. School administrators and faculty do not frisk or physically handle students during such searches.
If, for example, an administrator has reason to believe that a student is carrying drugs, the student can be searched.
"It's easier to do your job if it's defined clearly," Scannell said.
The board also discussed implementing a policy for police interrogations and searches of students on school grounds. One of the main guidelines would be to have administrators make every effort to contact a student's parents before he or she is interrogated or searched, efforts that Weiss said are currently made but should be incorporated into the policy.
"We work very hard to make sure, before the [police] interrogation, that we try to get parents there," Weiss said.
There was some uncertainty over some of the rules and how searches can be conducted, and Weiss said she would consult with the school district's attorneys.
Some board members said they believed that the district was put in a tough position -- being there for the student while at the same time cooperating with police. Some questioned whether the district should be obligated to alert parents in advance of a police search, saying that in some situations police can search a student without a parent being present.
While all agreed that parents should be contacted, Weiss and Scannell emphasized a need for doing everything the district could to contact the parents and defining it in the policy. Weiss also advised against having a student questioned on school grounds by police without a parent or school official present, though ultimately, the policies will be discussed further.
"They [parents] need to know....we want to be there for the kid," Weiss said.
Music program overview
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Jeff Hollman gave an overview of the district's K-through-12 music program, a much-lauded program. "Everybody has a chance to participate, and we do reach high levels of excellence," said Hollman, who discussed some of the factors that have made Baldwin "One of the 100 Best Communities for Music Education."
Hollman noted the elementary school program, where students begin playing music together at an early age and learn about self-discipline and the importance of practicing. At the middle school, the program becomes more elaborate, with more than 150 students involved, he said, with opportunities to participate in co-curricular music activities such as the jazz band and string ensemble.
At the high school, students can further their music studies by learning everything from conducting to playing in the symphonic orchestra.
Highlighting the scope of the program, Hollman noted not only the musicians and actors, but set designers and the many other opportunities for students.
"This is a reason to come here," said Scannell.
Bond vote
Superintendent Weiss and members of the school board are continuing to attend various PTA meetings to discuss the $26.9 million proposed bond, in order to keep residents informed. Residents will have the opportunity to vote for or against the bond on Feb. 4, when the district holds a bond referendum vote at the high school.
"These are good opportunities to get additional facts," said Scannell.
