The Ketchikan School Board will hold a public hearing Wednesday to consider a new policy regarding married, pregnant and parenting students. The Board currently does not have any policy regarding students dealing with those challenges. The proposed policy was suggested by the Association of Alaska School Boards.
The policy states that the district will not deny such students participation in class or extracurricular activities. If a student’s doctor requires her to be absent for a period of time due to pregnancy, childbirth or abortion, the school must allow her to leave and reinstate her to the status she had when she left.
The instructional program for affected students would be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Also Wednesday, Cheyenne Mathews will take the oath of office as the new student board member. Matthews is the Ketchikan High School Student Body president, and her position requires her also to serve as the student representative on the School Board. The student representative presents reports to the Board, provides student input and casts preferential votes.
Wednesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. in Borough Assembly Chambers at the White Cliff building. There is time allotted for public comment at the start and end of each meeting.
