Rapides School Board OKs electric buses, metal detectors and uniform policy poll
Electric buses will be coming to Rapides Parish after the School Board approved accepting an almost $10 million federal grant to buy up to 25 of them.
Before the board on Tuesday began hearing hours of public comments on its Better Facilities strategic plan, they went through everything else on its agenda.
Although the topic of the $9,875,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to buy up to 25 electric buses got a mixed reception when it was announced during a Feb. 22 committee meeting, there was little discussion on the item during the board's regular meeting.
The board approved the motion by a 6-3 vote. The members voting against the motion were President Dr. Stephen Chapman, Wilton Barrios and Sandra Franklin.
The grant also allows the district to build the infrastructure needed to charge the buses. The board will buy the buses, then apply for rebates. During the committee meeting, they were told the district would be reimbursed within 60 days of applying for the rebates.
In other action, the board voted 8-1 to spend $1.1 million for metal weapon detectors that will be installed at every school.
Superintendent Jeff Powell told members the item fell under something they previously approved on Sept. 6, 2022. After an executive session that included Rapides Parish Sheriff Mark Wood in attendance, the board approved spending up to $4 million on security and safety measures for schools.
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The decision came just months after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers.
Franklin was the sole no vote.
Lastly, the board unanimously passed an item on its consent agenda that will poll the community about how they feel on school uniforms. Member Linda Burgess asked for the poll, saying she's received comments from parents who want it changed.
Rapides students have been wearing uniforms since the 2000-01 school year.
Results from the poll will be presented at the board's March 21 committee meetings. The three-question survey can be found here, at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3Y87NMS.
It asks people to identify themselves either as teacher/staff, administrator, parent, student or other, whether they think the district should continue its current uniform policy for the next year and what changes they would like to see in the policy.
Links to current policies also are available on the page.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Rapides School Board OKs electric buses, metal detectors, uniform poll
