Howard County parents now can decide whether they want information from community groups, including religious organizations, sent home in their children?s backpacks from school.
Those who decide against it still will receive notices from school officials and PTA and booster groups.
“Girl Scouts of Central Maryland makes every effort to reach out to girls throughout the region,” said Danita Terry, director of communications and media relations for Girl Scouts of Central Maryland.
“This decision provides an additional avenue through which wecan tell girls and their families about the programs and activities Girl Scouts offer that develop courage, confidence and character in girls.”
On Thursday, the Howard County School Board reversed its decision limiting the types of organizations that can send home information in students? backpacks.
Howard School Board members were concerned about the possibility of objectionable material being sent to children?s homes, said Judith S. Bresler, an attorney who represents the boards of education in Howard and Montgomery counties.
Last year, Howard followed Montgomery?s lead and changed its policy to allow only governmental agencies, PTA and booster groups, licensed daycare facilities and youth sport leagues to send home information in the backpacks, she said.
“This gives parents who might be offended by any information a way to opt out,” she told the Howard board.
Child Evangelism Fellowship of Maryland is appealing Montgomery?s policy in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit because the religious organization maintains the board is trying to limit its free speech, Bresler said.
The organization was stopped from putting fliers in students? backpacks about its after-school religious club.
In a Wednesday telephone interview, board Chairman Joshua Kaufman said the board was “revisiting” its policy after evaluating the change during the past year.
He also said community groups had complained they had been unfairly shut out of communicating with parents.
The board also had to change the policy, said Kaufman, to comply with the federal Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act that requires school systems to allow patriotic groups, such as Boy Scouts, to advertise via backpacks if they use school facilities for meetings.
Howard?s public relations director must approve all community notices for the backpacks.
