by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“TCA (Tennessee Code Annotated) requires now we teach a firearms safety class,” School Health Coordinator Chris Hawkersmith told the Franklin County School Board at the Aug. 8 meeting. Hawkersmith talked about the age-specific focus of the instruction and why it was needed. In regular business, the board approved 10 policy amendments recommended by the Tennessee School Board Association addressing crowdfunding, anti-Semitism, and diversity goals.

“In the United States, unintentional injuries from firearms is the fourth leading cause of death among infants, and the top among children and adolescents from one to 17,” Hawkersmith said. “The [training] is a strategy to help reduce this number. No political stuff. It’s not handling firearms or shooting firearms. In K through 6, the main focuses are stop, don’t touch, leave the area quickly, and tell an adult. In grades 6 through 12 [the basics] are firearm identification, basic home firearm safety, storage of firearms and ammunition.”

Parents received a letter explaining the focus and key points of the training. Parents may ‘opt out’ by signing and returning the letter. Information on the specifics of the training is available on the Tennessee state website.

Significant among the policy amendments, the Fundraising Policy no longer forbids crowdfunding. “In the eyes of the Tennessee comptroller, any time we are asking for money or school supplies is a fundraiser,” explained Deputy Director of Finances Jenny Phillips. “Crowdfunding is asking people to go online and give money.” Phillips cited the example of an Amazon Wish List. The policy stipulates all fundraising must be approved by the school principal and director of schools. “The amended policy gives more options,” said Human Resources Supervisor Roger Alsup. Board member Erik Cole requested clarification of the provision, “students shall not go door to door,” asking if this applied to students asking businesses to give money. “The [rule] is for the safety of the students,” said board member Sara Liechty. Parents accompanying the child would be a different circumstance, board member Sandy Shultz observed. Phillips suggested the policy stipulate children should not go to residences. Alsup suggested the policy stipulate students were “discouraged” from going door to door. He will add verbiage to clarify the door-to-door provision.

The Instructional Programs policy statement “The Board shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability in its instructional program or activities” was amended with the addition “Discrimination shall include anti-Semitism.” The amended Discrimination/Harassment policy stipulated including “anti-Semitism” as a form of “religious discrimination/harassment” among the forbidden practices.

The amended policy addressing the Personal Goals of the board removed the provision that called for setting goals for educators to “take into consideration the diversity of the student population.” Board member Sarah Marhevsky questioned the policy change. “It [the diversity goal] must come out,” Alsup said. Board chair CleiJo Walker concurred. The board will discuss the diversity-goal issue at a workshop. Questioned after the meeting, Marhevsky said, “This change is related to the [Trump] administration’s requirements.” According to NPR, “The Trump administration has threatened to withhold federal funds from public schools that have diversity, equity and inclusion programs.”

In the Legislative Update, Marhevsky recommend the board pass a “Resolution in Support of a Free Public Education for All Students in Tennessee,” in response to proposed state legislation that would allow public schools to charge a fee if students could not prove they are legal residents of the United States. The resolution states, “the 14th Amendment to The Constitution of the United States includes the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause, which through court cases, including Plyler, has been shown to include free public education as a property right (5th Amendment) for all.” The resolution passed with board member Erik Cole voting, “nay.”

In the School Spotlight, the board heard from Sewanee Elementary School Principal Allison Dietz. SES is celebrating its “100th year of education.” In the most recent data available, SES received a letter grade of “A” for the 2023-2024 school year. Equally impressive, in English Language Arts 76.7 percent of SES students tested at grade level or above, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year; in math, 78.7 percent of students tested at grade level or above, a 9.3 percent increase; and in science, 78.3 percent of students tested at grade level or above, a 3.3 percent increase.