ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607050052
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
The school guidance wars bypassed the Roanoke Valley.
With little discussion and no controversy, the valley's school systems have opted to keep for next year the "opt-out" guidance policy that basically preserves the procedures they've used for many years. Students will continue to have easy access to counselors.
The debate over "opt-out" and "opt-in" policies that has occurred in other parts in Virginia did not surface when the valley's school boards recently adopted guidance policies for next year as required by the state Board of Education.
Under the opt-out procedure, parents can review materials used in guidance programs and choose not to have their children participate in any type of counseling to which they object. Children can participate in counseling unless the parents take the initiative and sign a form asking that they not be involved.
In the more restrictive opt-in policy, parents also can review the materials, but guidance counselors cannot talk with students unless they first obtain written permission from the parents.
Some political conservatives urged the General Assembly and Board of Education to mandate an opt-in policy because they did not want counselors to talk with students about personal, social or other nonacademic matters without getting parents' permission.
They defined the issue in terms of parental rights, saying parents were entitled to decide whether their child saw a counselor.
But some educators and counselors argued that such a policy could cause some children to be denied counseling services because their parents might neglect to sign the permission forms and return them to schools. They urged the state to retain its opt-out policy.
This year, the Board of Education voted to give up control of guidance programs and directed local school boards to develop their own policies within state-mandated guidelines.
The board majority said local school boards are in the best position to decide the matter.
Gary Kelly, director of guidance and staff development for Roanoke County schools, said only three or four parents a year have opted their children out of counseling. There have been no complaints about the county's counseling services, he said.
Under the state guidelines, school systems will have to provide written notice to parents each year about the guidance and counseling services and the procedures for limiting a child's participation in such programs.
Kelly said the county will continue its policy of seeking parental permission when a child is in long-term counseling or participates in small-group counseling.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said Roanoke's new policy is consistent with the past practice of allowing parents to review guidance materials and opt their children out of any services.
Harris said the city's guidance program is designed to "strengthen family and parental support," not replace it. City school officials said only a handful of parents have opted out of guidance services in the past.
Some parents have advocated tighter control over guidance services in other areas in Virginia because they said that they don't want counselors dealing with personal and family issues.
Superintendent Wayne Tripp said Salem has also adopted an opt-out policy that is similar to the one used in the past.
All three school systems prohibit their counselors from using hypnosis or other psychotherapeutic techniques that are beyond the scope of their professional training. Kelly said the treatment of mental illness and psychopathology are not within a school counselor's expertise.
Under the state's standards of quality for education, school systems are required to provide counseling services in academic guidance, career guidance, personal and social counseling.
LENGTH: Medium: 74 linesby CNB