Following a lengthy discussion Tuesday night, Mathews County School Board approved a policy addressing transgender students, a policy based on recommendations from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration.

The board approved the policy “On Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” by a 4-1 margin during the meeting, which was held in the Brooks Auditorium at Thomas Hunter Middle School.

The policy addresses such things as the use of pronouns in addressing the student, the use of sex-segregated facilities (such as bathrooms and locker rooms), and participation in athletic programs or activities that are separated by sex.

School board member Linda Hodges, who cast the lone nay vote, questioned the turnaround from the previous governor’s policy directives and wondered if the division would have to adopt another set of policies when the next administration takes office. Instead, she suggested, the board should “select solid policies regardless of who’s in the Governor’s Mansion.”

School board chairman John Priest said the policy was made as general as possible, yet still in compliance with the direction of the governor and the General Assembly. “There will be discussion later on as far as implementing it,” Priest said.

Board members wrestled with a number of hypothetical scenarios, such as when one parent supports a child’s transition while the other opposes it, or when a trans student is on an overnight trip where students are usually paired up in hotel rooms, who would bear the cost of the single room for the trans student. Hodges made a motion to postpone a decision on the policy until the November meeting; that motion failed for lack of a second, and the original motion was called.

The complete policy can be found online by clicking on the Board Docs link on the division’s website (www.mathews.k12.va.us) and looking under the Oct. 17 agenda.

Bonuses

In other news, the board discussed reallocation of local budget funds from the past year to provide a pay boost to employees. In the recently concluded budget, proposed employee raises of 5 percent had been reduced to 2 percent to offset unanticipated expenses, with the hope that the money could eventually be given back to teachers and other employees. As of June 30, approximately $172,000 had been unspent, and Superintendent of Schools Dr. David S. Daniel was seeking guidance on its dispersal.

An audit took place last week and it will be a few weeks before a current, accurate figure will be available. Priest said the money should be given as a “mid-year bonus” to employees who stayed with the school division. He said he doesn’t see where the board can guarantee a salary raise.

If everyone received an equal amount, how much would that be, Hodges asked of Daniel. The superintendent replied that, with 178 staff members, it would be “in the ballpark” of just under $1,000 per employee. That estimate, he said, does not include administrators, who would not receive the bonus. If approved next month, getting the bonuses out by December would be a challenge, Daniel said, in reply to another question.

Hodges said that she would like to see the money go toward the employees’ salaries, so that it has a positive effect on their eventual VRS retirement. Priest said he has spoken with the Mathews Education Association, who would also like to see it as a salary adjustment.

If not a salary adjustment, Hodges suggested a two-tier approach—one amount for full-time staff and another for part-time employees. Once a plan is approved, the school board would have to go to the board of supervisors to seek the release of funds.

During public comment at the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting, several spoke out against making this a one-time bonus. Several pointed out the additional taxes that would be assessed on a bonus, as opposed to a salary increase.

Michelle Williams said that when a similar move was made years before, and the money was given as a “bonus” instead of salary, “out of that lump sum, I lost $800.” Emily Betz said she is frustrated with the use of the word “bonus.” “We are more than owed the money,” she said, urging the board to include the additional money in salary instead of a one-time bonus.

Public comment

During Tuesday’s public comment, two parents addressed a recent incident involving a sex offender on school property, and their view that the division failed to provide sufficient notice of the incident.

On Oct. 4, the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer investigated two incidents related to a registered sex offender coming onto school grounds on Sept. 22 and Oct. 3. The man was later charged with two felony counts of entering school property after being a registered sex offender.

The parents voiced concern about the delay in notification. Brittany Cain said the notification coming 22 days after the first incident was troubling. “They’re losing trust in the administration,” she said of parents.

In response, school board member Bobby Dobson said that the “the individual never got out of his car. He was picking up his children … the children were never in any danger.” The first incident was handled by the Virginia State Police, he said, who “dropped the ball.” Dobson did concede that the incident could have been handled better.

Also, during public comment, Amy Bohannon-Stewart took issue with the addition last month of a School Security Officer for Mathews High School, a new position. The matter was approved following the closed meeting during personnel. An SSO, unlike a School Resource Officer, is not armed and would be no match for an armed threat. “Why wasn’t another SRO [position] considered” instead, she asked.

John E. Wilson III was appointed to that post on Sept. 19. During personnel action at the conclusion of Tuesday’s meeting, Wilson was also named the MHS boys’ varsity basketball coach, one of a number of coaching appointments made. Other winter sports coaches appointed were Zachary Jarosz (JV boys’ basketball), Rob Marreo (varsity girls’ basketball), J.J. Ashberry (JV girls’ basketball), Charles Forrest (indoor track), Kayla Tobin (indoor track assistant), Josh Shaible (wrestling), Jennifer Doss (cheerleading), John Corrigan (Scholastic Bowl), Heather McDevitt (forensics) and Stacey Griffith (strength and conditioning). Malina Hester (JV girls’ basketball) and Chuck Schaller, Tanner Schaller, Tyler Schaller, Jamie Gray, Jami Thompson and David Harris (wrestling) were named volunteer coaches.

The coaching appointments were approved 4-1, with Desmond Smith voting against it.

Other personnel matters were approved unanimously. They were: the appointment of Joy Drummond as Mathews Elementary teacher and MES teacher assistants Anna Bas and Caitlyn Evans, and the resignation of MES teachers Pamela Leigh and Linda Ingleson.