School Board Reviews Policy on Current Events in the Classroom

The Boyertown Area School District (BASD) has been conducting a review and updating of school board policies. Few community members are aware of this. The final version of the policy on Current Events is one of the policies recently reviewed. Shared from the school district's digital newsletter, "It Bear Repeating," that policy appears below.

Policy 119 Current Events

Purpose

The Board believes that consideration of current events has a legitimate place in the educational program of the schools. Properly introduced and conducted, discussion of such events can help students learn to identify important issues, explore fully and fairly all sides of an issue, weigh carefully the values and factors involved, and develop skills for formulating and evaluating positions and opinions.

Definition

A current event is defined as a topic on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion and is not expressly enumerated in the course guide as content of the course of study. 

Authority

The Board shall permit the introduction and proper educational use of current events, provided that their use in the instructional program:[1]

1. Is related to the course's educational goals and the students' level of maturity.

2. Does not tend to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view.

3. Encourages balanced presentations and open-mindedness.

4. Is conducted in a spirit of scholarly inquiry.

Delegation of Responsibility

The Superintendent or designee shall work with principals and teachers to provide oversightrelative to the use of current events in instruction.

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