Jason Major
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. school board has approved 2023-2024 student handbooks, though one member opposed the decision, objecting to certain elementary schools’ rules against lunch-time visitors.
The vote was 5-1, with board member Jason Major voting against the action.
According to BCSC officials, CSA Fodrea, Richards, Taylorsville, Mt. Healthy, Smith and Southside elementary schools all included a provision in their respective handbooks stating that they are not allowing visitors to join students for lunch in the cafeteria. Director of Elementary Education Laura Hack said this recommendation came from the schools themselves.
Major called the provision “anti-parent” and said that when he was a parent at Richards, he would visit the school once a month to eat lunch with his daughter and get to know her friends, as well as school administrators.
When asked about the schools’ current policies, Hack said that the provision originated during the pandemic, when schools were seeking to limit visitors. Since then, larger schools have noticed the need to be cautious with where visiting family members sit and how they interact with all students. Space is also a concern for some schools.
“Another thing that we hear is from some of our schools where students may struggle a little bit more — parents, grandparents bringing McDonald’s, bringing in other resources, it does prove to have a ‘have and have-not’ situation,” said Hack. “So those schools are asking then that we continue with what we have been doing, which is not allowing families to come in.”
Major countered that at a recent visit to Richards, he saw that there was space in an outside hallway where students could sit with parents.
“I understand that it may not always be ideal for every school, but the parents pay the taxes,” he said. “The parents have the kids. And one of the last things I would hate to see is upset parents take their kids out of their school corporation.”
Hack replied that parents can still sign their children out and have lunch elsewhere, then bring them back. She also reiterated that it’s a matter of available space and student safety.
“We want to make sure that they have access only to their child,” she said.
According to BCSC, other updates to student handbooks include information about ParentSquare and an updated technology use agreement for all schools. Director of Technology Nick Williams said that the new Responsible Use Agreement replaces a more outdated and “punitive” form that was previously in place. It is also intended to be shorter and more readable.
Additionally, changes to secondary handbooks include information about parent-receiving sites in the event of evacuation and updates to graduation pathways for high school students.
At an individual school level, Southside Elementary’s handbook now prohibits riding bicycles to school.
“Southside currently has no crossing assistance at (County Road) 200S, and the situation is too dangerous to allow students to bicycle to school until the situation changes,” said BCSC officials.
