Tag: public comment
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Many Rockingham Co. parents and school staff have opinions and almost all have questions about book policies
“A joke,” one person called them. “Politically motivated disaster,” opined another. A “confusing, unnecessary overreach,” said one more — a sentiment that was repeated, just with different wording, in other responses. These were a few people’s opinions on the Rockingham County School Board’s proposed policies to determine selection and challenge criteria for library books, according to survey responses obtained by The Citizen through a Freedom of Information Act request.
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Approvals for recovery homes and Northeast Neighborhood improvements move ahead
Local mental health organization Strength In Peers can now use a house on North Main Street as an addiction recovery home after the city council on Tuesday approved the rezoning of that property to allow for boarding houses.
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Rockingham Co. school board revises policies to conform with Youngkin’s model, also creates school safety role
The Rockingham County School Board unanimously approved changes to five policies Monday night, officially revising its code to follow Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s model policies regarding students’ gender identities. This follows the board’s first vote last month to adopt those model policies in full.
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Raucous crowd weighs in on RCPS book ban, while school board moves on to other policies and redistricting plan
The Rockingham County School Board meeting at times devolved into a shouting match during Monday night’s public comment period over participation rules and the board’s temporary removal of 57 books from school libraries.
Advocates for students with disabilities call on schools for more support
While Harrisonburg City Public School leaders have said they try to build inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities, several city residents at Tuesday’s meeting told school board members that there’s still room for growth.
Superintendent pledges to propose funding for ways to ease teachers’ burdens
Superintendent Michael Richards told city public school staff in an email Tuesday morning that he will propose money in next year’s budget to fund ways aimed at improving teacher morale in the district.
Residents and teachers vent to school board about controversial issues and educators being stretched too thin
More than two hours of public comments dominated Tuesday’s Harrisonburg school board meeting as about 20 speakers voiced opinions on several different issues. The jumbling of topics — where one person would talk about working conditions at elementary schools while the next speaker addressed higher suicide rates among LGBTQ+ students followed by another person playing a gospel song to punctuate her point — gave the meeting, at times, the feel of a local political fever dream.
January 13, 2025
County school board, with a new chair, move ahead with elementary expansions and more lab schools
With Sara Horst taking over as chair of the Rockingham School Board, former chair Matt Cross didn’t address why he vacated that position but on Monday noted that the board “faced a lot of difficulties and challenges” last year.
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