By Susan R. Sammons, MSN, RN, FNP-C, Valley Local Board of Education Member The following is the opinion of the author and is not intended to represent or speak on behalf of any government body, elected official, group, organization, or other entity.
Across Ohio, most public school boards—including ours—rely on a private company called NEOLA to supply pre-written school policy templates. These policies are often bundled into large packets and voted on in bulk. But the latest NEOLA update—Volume 43, No. 2—is not just a legal refresh. It’s a coordinated effort to insert radical changes into school policy across more than 500 districts.
As a mother, school board member, and a nurse, I believe it’s my duty to raise the alarm. These updates do not reflect Ohio law, federal enforcement standards, or the values of most American families.
Highlights from NEOLA’s Latest Policy Update:
- Policy 5751 – Parental Status of Students:
Uses ideologically vague terms like “lactating student.” NEOLA has omitted all mention of the word “mother,” “girl,” or “female.” That’s not inclusive. That’s erasure. The policy allows pregnant girls to participate in high-risk sports like cheerleading or softball with no medical release. This creates serious safety concerns for both the young mother and her unborn child.
- Policy 2431 – Interscholastic Athletics:
Omits biological sex protections required under Ohio’s Save Women’s Sports Act. Factually, biological sex is not even mentioned. “Themself” replaces a crossed out “himself/herself” in background material. NEOLA stripped this policy of the language needed to protect fairness in girls’ sports.
- Policy 7421 – Restrooms, Locker Rooms, Shower Rooms, and Changing Rooms: Conflates gender with biological sex. Calls facilities “Gender Designated”, building in potential loopholes that might allow identity-based use of private spaces. Makes removal of violators optional during public events.
- Policy 5223 – Released Time for Religious Instruction:
Inserts unconstitutional barriers to faith-based programs. The proposed policy optionally bars students from bringing back a Bible verse card or a snack from a religious session. Students can get candy from a classroom party—but not a granola bar from church class? That’s discrimination, not policy.
- Policies 2260, 2260.02, and 2266 – Nondiscrimination and Single-Gender Activities: Redefines biological sex to include “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” allowing participation based on self-identification rather than biology. This undermines both Ohio law and federal Title IX enforcement—and other policies NEOLA provides. Presidential Executive Orders prohibit the use of “gender identity” in federally funded education policy—noncompliance could cost schools federal funding and potential enforcement action by the U. S. Department of Justice under Executive Order 14190. NEOLA doesn’t seem to care about funding for school lunches or kids with special needs. ● Policy 5350 – Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention:
Puts confidentiality ahead of parent involvement. Staff are told to watch for warning signs but are not required to notify parents if a child is struggling. Even during suicide risk assessments, the policy only says to communicate with “appropriate parties”—without ever naming the parents.
- Policy 5780.01 – Parents’ Bill of Rights:
This policy is the most deceptive of them all. It gives parents the illusion of transparency, while embedding loopholes that guarantee they’ll be excluded. It only promises notification if there’s a “substantial change in services”–with no definition of what “substantial” means. So staff can call a student a different name, use new pronouns, and change how the student is treated at school, as long as staff don’t call it a “service” or a change in “mental health”, as stated in Policy 5350. This policy weaponizes ambiguity.
- Policy 5610 – Suspension and Expulsion:
Prevents suspension unless a student poses an imminent physical threat or commits undefined “misconduct” under the district’s Code of Conduct. Common disruptions like defiance or refusal to work, no matter how often they occur, may not qualify. With no clear policy definition of “serious misconduct” or escalation guidelines, educators are left without a consistent standard of discipline to maintain order.
- Policy 5113 – Interdistrict Open Enrollment:
Puts racial balancing ahead of academics. Schools can’t consider grades or behavior, but they must track diversity. NEOLA is quietly pushing DEI rules that take power away from local boards and parents.
- Policy 0171 – Review of Policy (Marked for Removal):
Takes away the requirement to involve parents, staff, or the community in policy review. NEOLA sends the updates—your board just votes. No input. No questions. No accountability.
So Who’s Really In Charge—The Board or NEOLA?
All of these policies and more can be approved with a single vote. And have been.
NEOLA sells its templates to over 500 school districts in Ohio—over 80% of our public schools. When one change is made, it can affect millions of students and families. NEOLA is not a law firm—and school boards are not required to use a policy subscription. Many of their templates rely on rescinded guidance, outdated rules, and ideological language that introduces confusion—not compliance.
Worse, NEOLA tells districts that if they change even one word, they lose legal protection included in the warranty and must “hold NEOLA harmless” in court. Customize a policy to fit your community? NEOLA walks away.
That’s not local control. That’s policy blackmail disguised as a subscription.
It’s Time to Reclaim Local Control
I was not elected to rubber-stamp policies written by a private company pushing ideological activism. I was elected to serve the community—our families, our teachers, and our children.
School policy must be clear, lawful, and rooted in truth—not ideology. It must respect:
- Parents’ right to know
- Teachers’ right to maintain order
- Students’ right to be taught in an environment grounded in reality
That’s why I’m calling on my fellow board members—and school boards across Ohio and beyond—to pause these updates, review them carefully, and refuse to adopt language that misleads, confuses, or violates public trust.
If your child or grandchild is in a public school in Scioto County, or anywhere in Ohio, attend a board meeting. Ask:
Are we paying NEOLA for these policy updates? What are we doing to protect local control, parental rights, and student safety? Why are we paying for a subscription that doesn’t reflect our values?
Our schools belong to the community. And it’s time we start acting like it. Show up. Speak up.
Ask your board to reject NEOLA’s policies and protect our children’s rights, safety, and reality.
The next meeting of the Valley Local Board of Education is this Wednesday, May 21 at 6:00pm at Valley High School.
