Medicine Hat Public School Division secretary treasurer Jerry Labossiere, chair Rick Massini and superintendent Mark Davidson at the board's November 27 meeting.--NEWS PHOTO JEREMY APPEL
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel
Among a series of Medicine Hat Public School Division policies approved at its Tuesday evening board meeting were rules surrounding banned substances.
Superintendent Mark Davidson says the new policy was developed in conjunction with Alberta Health Services and will replace the board’s policy on smoking and cannabis.
Policy 634 prohibits staff and students from using banned substances at any time on school property or at school events.
These banned substances include alcohol, drugs – defined as “all substances people take to change the way they feel, think or behave” – cannabis, e-cigarettes and tobacco products.
Trustee Deborah Forbes said this policy is an “important” stop toward addressing skyrocketing rates of vaping among young people.
“I hope it starts to deal with the increase in vaping that’s doing such harm to our students,” said Forbes.
Last week’s Alberta School Boards Association fall general meeting had a resolution calling on all levels of government to regulate vaping just as stringently as tobacco, which chair Rick Massini said was the only motion to pass with 100 per cent support.
GSA-related policies brought into line with Education Act
The board also re-worded sections of its sexual orientation and gender diversity policy that address gay-straight alliances to bring them into accordance with the new Education Act.
Whereas the previous version of the policy simply said a principal must support the formation of a GSA, the policy now says “within a reasonable time from the date the principal receives the request.”
A provision saying principals “shall not prohibit or discourage” the naming of the club as “gay straight alliance” or “queer-straight alliance” if the members choose was eliminated.
A new section says that if a principal deems it necessary to notify parents of a child’s participation in a club, it must be “limited to the fact of the establishment of the organization or the holding of the activity.”
If there is notification, it must be “otherwise consistent with the usual practices relating to notifications of other student organizations or activities,” the policy now says.
