BETHEL — After a 45-minute discussion at a June 17 School board meeting MSAD 44 Board members voted for an addition to the amendment that allows hats at Telstar Middle and High School starting when school starts later this year

Stephanie Herbeck recommended and read the amended motion addition, “Teachers have the discretion to ask any individual student to remove their hat if it is causing educational disruption.”

The amendment with the additional passage passed, 9-4.

Telstar High School student Ella Hopps, and her principal John Eliot, had first proposed the hats’ policy change at a May 6 school board meeting where it was supported by the Board.

At the June meeting the Board discussed, but did decide, if they will ask Hopps or other student council members to return for their opinion of how the new rule is going at school. The MSAD 44 School Board does not have a student representative.

The Crescent Park and Woodstock school teachers had been surveyed. CPS teachers said they were opposed to wearing hats 19-4 with 10 others saying they did not care either way. At Telstar High School and Telstar Middle School, teachers are not opposed to students wearing hats.

Member Scott Cole said, “It’s a $15.5M effort [school budget]. We are here to represent the public defined by the four towns. I do not agree that students and student council have equal standing here … ”

Marcie Winslow countered, “we have students who are overall in favor of this …our admin are overall are onboard and really support it … teachers are in favor … I think it’s doing a bit of a disservice … to the people that we are also here representing … telling kids to take them [the hats] off constantly can actually be a bigger distraction … I think it’s important to listen to the people we are here representing.”

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