During the Jackson County Board of Education meeting on September 26, Deputy Superintendent Jake Buchanan detailed the school system’s plan to adhere to the recently enacted Parental Bill of Rights. This 12-page legislation, known as N.C. 115C-76.25, officially became law in North Carolina on August 16. It outlines parents’ rights to be actively involved in their minor children’s education, introducing some new regulations while modifying existing ones.
Buchanan informed the board that many of the proposed rights were already covered by pre-existing board policies. The language he presented for review was sourced from the N.C. School Boards Association. In his interview on Monday, Buchanan emphasized that the majority of the Parental Bill of Rights provisions were either already guaranteed by state statutes or federal guidelines. He explained that the bill essentially consolidates these rights, centralizing them for clarity and coherence.
Board Attorney Chris Campbell, from the Campbell and Shatley law firm in Asheville, echoed this sentiment, stating that approximately 90% of the bill’s content was directly derived from existing laws. He emphasized that these policies were not expressions of opinion by the School Boards Association but rather a translation of general statutes into official policy.
The Jackson County Public Schools are inviting public input during the upcoming board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24, at the Central Office. The board intends to vote on the matter during the November 14th meeting, allowing ample time for the school system to implement the policies before January. Notably, there was no vote or discussion on this issue during the September 26th meeting.
