The Maryland State Board of Education recently voted unanimously to amend its policy regarding the disclosure of transfer students’ criminal histories between school districts.
This decision, which stemmed from concerns for student safety, involved a crucial change in language from May to Shall, mandating that school officials must now disclose relevant criminal history when a student transfers from one jurisdiction to another.
Maryland State Superintendent Carey Wright highlighted the necessity of this change following a troubling incident involving a 17-year-old student at Howard High School, who had a past conviction for attempted murder and was found with a ghost gun at school.
The incident underscored the gaps in information sharing that the new policy aims to address.
However, the amendment does not encompass the school superintendent at the Department of Juvenile Services DJS or transfer students from out of state or non-public schools, which has raised concerns about its comprehensiveness.
Joshua Michael, the state school board president, acknowledged these limitations and indicated that further policy expansions may be needed to enhance safety across all educational contexts.
The emergency regulations will be in place for 180 days, requiring legislative approval for them to become permanent. In a statement, Anne Arundel County Public Schools expressed their support for the measures aimed at improving safety in schools and emphasized the need for continued discussions among various stakeholders to ensure effective change.