CUBA – Amber Hollingsworth, a parent of a Cuba Middle School student, questioned the Board of Education on Dec. 18 about the district’s policy for removing students from premises without parental notification. Hollingsworth said that her child “was removed from school premises and transported to my residence to receive prescribed medication without my prior knowledge or consent.” 

Hollingsworth continued by saying, “A similar incident also occurred where my child was removed from school premises and taken to my residence to receive school library books, again without my prior knowledge or consent. Both incidents, I was not notified before or after. I have since contacted the relevant school offices officials to discuss the school policy and obtain specific dates and times of the incidents.” 

Hollingsworth said that she received an email response from Superintendent Scott Davidson, but that it did not address her questions. 

“I was informed that the school’s actions were courtesy and would not occur again. I see it as a potential violation of school policy in Missouri law, which may result in liability from the school and violations of my parental rights and my child’s rights. Since I did not get the answers to my questions, I will ask you, the school board, could you please provide me with a school policy on non-emergency removals, or confirm in writing that no such policy exists.” 

The board said that they will discuss and address the matter in a timely fashion. 

The Cuba Free Press reached out to Davidson for clarification on the matter, but did not receive a response, as the district is presumably discussing and addressing the issue during holiday break. An update on the district’s response to the matter will be issued when the Cuba Free Press receives one. 

In other news, the district unanimously voted to approve the renderings of a new vestibule for the entrance to Cuba High School by Bond Architects. Davidson said that the district will showcase the renderings on posters during athletics events and activities “just so the public can see what they are voting for.”  

Board President Jennifer Moreland said that the new vestibule would “modernize that entrance to be similar to our middle school, our elementary school.” 

The board voted 5-1 to remove a 1988 policy 2865 regarding head lice control. The seventh board member Adam Carnal wasn’t present at the meeting. According to Davidson, the policy is no longer supported by Missouri Consultants for Education, their policy regulation rank. He added that the recommendation is just to remove that policy from the list of policies, and that will allow the school district to address case basis questions. 

Board member Tammi Palmer asked if nurses would still be doing head checks like they had in the past. 

“That’s kind of an old way of thinking,” Davidson said. “So you really just look at case by case and the number of students in class. So it’s not where we go through and check every building and make a production outlet, because we’re trying to protect the privacy of students. It’s not hard to know if two or three or four kids go out of school, it’s kind of a given that way. So again,  the MCE recommends that they don’t even have it on their policy anymore. It’s not supported. So it gives the school really the leeway to make the best choice.”