On Monday, Oct. 17 Johnson County Commissioners requested a last minute executive session to be held that afternoon.

Concerns over the county’s network security were expressed.

Earlier in October the county said they were reviewing any possible breach of election worker information after an executive from Konnech Cor-poration was arrested. The firm helps jurisdictions manage election worker systems including in Johnson County.

They are being cited for giving third parties in China personal election worker information.

Over the Oct. 22 weekend the county said they discovered that PollChief Election Worker Management System had obtained 736 social security numbers from Johnson County workers in 2016.

The Sheriff’s Department was notified Monday, Oct. 24 that 1,319 workers so far had had their identity stolen through social security numbers or drivers license numbers hacks.

The county is offering free identity protection monitoring to the election workers that were hacked.

Johnson County has now transferred the PollChief election worker management system from Konnech Inc. to “We want to have a dignified environment for all students,”he said.

Dr. Huff said they were moving forward with a proposal for an increase of eight unisex bathrooms in the high school for anyone to use during passing periods and they will be spread out through the building.

A new document had been made on staff handles trans situations, he said.

“It is not our goal to immediately out a student but encourage parent involvement,” Dr. Huff said. Katie Williams, board member, said the guidelines don’t cover procedures for students already receiving support.

“What do you do for students already using their chosen pronouns,”she said.

Melissa McIntire, director of student support services, said it would be handled case by case.

“We would talk to students,” she said. “There would be no immediate phone call home. There would be a conversation. We always talk about the relationship with the parent. If there is potential harm we take a different path.”

McIntire said a student shouldn’t walk in the door surprised a parent wasn’t contacted.

Williams said what if a student doesn’t want their parent contacted.

McIntire said any time a student wants to be called something different they are going to ask about parent involvement.

“We don’t ever say let’s not tell your parent,”she said. “We always talk through every option. We are not going to out a student.”

Williams said how will the district dignify and support a student.

McIntire said in order to have accommodations for a student they have to get parental help.

“We are not trying to keep parents in the dark,”she said. “Every student is different and every situation is unique.” Russ Ellis, board member, said he had concerns about counselors and staff being asked to do more than they were hired to do for the district.

“I know we are stretched thin,”he said. “I want to make sure students get the counseling they need.”

McIntire said parental consent for name and pronoun changes for a student would be required for students under the age of 18.

“If parents are not aware we will ask do you want to proceed and how,”she said. “We will inform the parent and set up a meeting. The request is denied if a parent doesn’t support. Situations where students are afraid of physical repercussions will be handled accordingly.”

Williams said would additional steps be taken to support the students well-being.

McIntire said any student who feels that they are at risk would be put on a list.

“We want every student to feel important because they are,”she said. “We don’t get into this business if we don’t think that.”

Ellis said he wanted to make sure counselors were available but the district’s proposal on bathrooms and pronoun procedures said it was a policy and not guidelines.

Dr. Huff said there were laws around the issue mainly through courts in regions outside the area.

“Ours is less defined,”he said.

Dr. Huff said they don’t have firm direction and the U.S. Department of Education wasn’t legally binding.

“We are caught in a very odd spot,”he said. “I imagine in the next few years we will have more direction.”

Williams said if case law changed locally would the district have to go through everything all over again.

Dr. Huff said KASB gives very little direction.

“We have no settlement here,”he said. “If it becomes more firm then KASB will probably come out with a policy.”

The proposed bathroom and pronoun policies are scheduled to be voted on at the Monday, November 7 school board meeting.