The Calvert County Public Schools Board of Education convened on August 7, 2025, to discuss several key policy updates and decisions impacting the school district. The meeting began with a motion to repeal the existing anti-racism policy, which was deemed redundant due to the presence of a comprehensive discrimination policy that covers all forms of illegal discrimination. Board members expressed a consensus that while racism is unacceptable, the current legal framework adequately addresses all forms of discrimination without the need for a separate policy. The motion passed and will be open for public comment for 30 days.

Following this, Cecilia Lewis, the Director of Student Services, presented updates to Policy 14 60 concerning child abuse and neglect. These updates aim to clarify the responsibilities of school employees in reporting suspected abuse and the legal protections afforded to them when making such reports. The revised policy emphasizes the importance of cooperation with local social services and law enforcement, particularly in cases where a parent may be the alleged abuser. This policy will also be posted for public comment for 30 days.

Next, Dr. Susan Johnson, Chief Operations Officer, introduced Policy 17 60, which outlines professional boundaries between school employees and students. The policy was revised based on feedback from board members and legal counsel, emphasizing the need for appropriate communication and interactions. Key updates include guidelines for acceptable behaviors and the requirement for transparency in communications with students. This policy will also undergo a 30-day public comment period.

Dr. Johnson also presented Policy 19 40, which addresses political neutrality within the school system. This new policy aims to maintain a distraction-free educational environment by ensuring that employees remain neutral on political issues during instructional time. It allows for student expression of political viewpoints while prohibiting employees from engaging in political activities during work hours. The board discussed the importance of this policy in preserving the integrity of the educational setting.

Overall, the meeting focused on refining policies to enhance student safety, maintain professional standards, and ensure a politically neutral educational environment. Each policy discussed will be available for public comment, allowing community members to provide input before final adoption.