School Committee Opens Protect Act Policy Review

School Committee · Meeting of September 10, 2026

Middleborough School Committee opens Protect Act policy review, accepts $62,168 grant. The committee took a first read of a draft policy implementing the state's Protect Act, signed by Governor Healey on August 5, which bars civil arrest without a judicial warrant on school grounds; no vote was taken, with sections A and B due back October 6. Superintendent Thompson said a revised districtwide bullying prevention plan is nearly finished and headed to legal counsel.

Members unanimously accepted a $62,168 YouthWorks grant and approved August 27 minutes, with one member calling the jobs program "incredibly valuable" after nearly a decade of involvement. The committee also voted unanimously to send Susan Pennini as its delegate to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees Annual Business Meeting. A member pressed subcommittee leadership on why the draft policy wasn't posted publicly before the vote, asking, "How can we ask questions about a policy we can't read?"

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,468 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of September 10, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.