Updated February 15, 2019

Giles County Board of Education passed the first reading on four policy changes dealing with hemp and hemp based products while tabling a fifth policy for more discussion.

Employee use of hemp-based products resulted in the board tabling proposed changes to a Drug Free Workplace policy.

The changes included prohibiting the use of CBD oil products anytime on school property and events.

Changes also includes school system employees to report any use of CBD products to their supervisor.

Board member Jim Stewart opposed to prohibitions on hemp-based products in the policy changes.

Stewart advised the board members Hemp products are not drugs and is a natural product.

Other board members questioned the prohibition on the use of CBD products in school or at school events.

School Director Phillip Wright said he recommended the proposed policy changes after a conversation with the school board's attorney, who Wright said added the prohibition on CBD products.

The board voted unanimously to table changes to the Drug Free Workplace policy.

Two other policy changes were approved on first reading being amended to remove repetition and verbiage that referred to hemp as a drug.

Also passing first reading was adding any hemp based products to Medicine Policy requiring hemp products be administered to students by school nurses as with all other medicines.

The school's board next regular meeting will be Thursday, March 7 at 5 p.m. at Richland School.