Swampscott schools prepare to implement new state laws

SWAMPSCOTT – A new state law for criminal background checks is putting safety in the hands of educators.Under the new law, signed by Gov. Deval Patrick in January, all Massachusetts employees working with students in preschool through grade 12 will be required to provide their fingerprints for national criminal background checks. The law includes current employees as well as new hires.School Committee Vice Chairman Ted Delano brought this and one other new policy to the attention of his fellow committee members in a meeting Tuesday to start the process of implementing the new laws into the district.?We have to take certain steps just to examine it as an operational policy and then take it from there,” said Delano on Wednesday.Delano also made committee members aware of the “transgender policy,” which according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is an act written to amend some state policies on the “nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity.”Effective last July, the policy states that “no person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.”The act goes into detail to determine how to appropriately handle situations surrounding students during a transition of gender identity. Such situations include the assignment of gender-based restrooms, locker rooms and sports teams, as well as determining how to deal when John Smith goes on April vacation, only to return as Jane, according to the Massachusetts Department of Education.?I think in both instances, we want to make sure every child is going to school knowing it?s a safe environment,” said Delano about both policies on Wednesday.Delano suggested Policy Subcommittee Chairman Marianne Hartmann look into the two policies, and Hartmann suggested the committee explore workshop options for September to find out more about them.