Abby Raphael took over as the new chairman of the Arlington County Public Schools Board of Education Friday, replacing Libby Garvey, a state senate candidate. Raphael’s vice-chairman will be board member Emma Violand-Sanchez.
The board discussed the school district’s new sexual abuse and misconduct policy, which staff members are drafting in accordance with new guidelines from the Virginia State Board of Education.
Arlington’s draft policy prohibits teachers from using personal cell phones to text students or connecting with them on social networks such as Facebook.
But board members raised questions about whether the proposed rules go too far. Violand-Sanchez said texting is a convenient way to check in with students she mentors, to ask them such things as “When are you coming to the office?”
“The policy could have a chilling effect on what we need to do with students in mentoring,” she said.
Raphael emphasized that the board needs to strike a balance between caution and allowing for natural and healthy teacher-student interactions.
