FIRST, INVOLVE ALL THE LAWYERS.

Hartland Arrowhead's "flags, signs, and divisive propaganda" policy is a committee report, not yet an action item for the full school board.  "The way in which the policy would be implemented will lead to a feeding frenzy for lawyers."  Better to seek the advice of counsel first?  "[T]he committee asked the district's legal counsel to review the policy and administrators to reach out to other districts with similar policies."

Meanwhile, the predictable side-taking continues.

In the meantime, the district's administration will reach out to the Waukesha, Kettle Moraine and Muskego-Norway school districts, which all have similar policies, to ask about policy implementation around bullying and disciplinary issues, First Amendment issues, student and staff reaction, their impact on staffing retention and any legal challenges.

Arrowhead's proposed policy seeks "to create safe, even, and fair environments for the academic achievement of all students" by prohibiting signs or other words implying certain areas are "safe spaces" because "all areas of AHS are, and should be considered safe spaces."

I would hope that by the time youngsters have reached high school, they'd have developed thicker skins, and "safe space" talk would be patronizing.  The lawyers, though, you shall always have to deal with.

[S]chool board member Craig Thompson opposed the policy, saying it is too vaguely worded.

To make his point, he showed an American flag sticker, a cross, a "Don't Tread On Me" paperweight, a Green Bay Packers pennant and pictures of variations of Green Bay Packers flags. He said that, under the policy, one of the Packers flags would be allowed because of its resemblance to an American flag, while the other would be prohibited. Thompson said he was "attempting to point out the probable confusion and contradictions inherent in adopting this policy" by displaying the items.

The full school board hopes to reach some sort of conclusion next week.

What's interesting is that Lake Country isn't a place of uniform comfort.

Parent John Norcross said it was a "bad policy," unnecessary and "badly written." He also questioned the timing of the meeting, saying it was held the same week as final exams for students.

"The administration is fully capable of regulating divisive symbols, etc. We have student food and home insecurity. We have buildings and infrastructure that need maintenance. There are protections for vulnerable kids and students in communities that aren't included in (that) policy that should be. You've got teacher attraction and retention. We should make the world easier. I could go through a very long list of things you could get to before you get to this one," Norcross said after the meeting.

What, there's an opportunity cost to sprucing up the athletic facilities, and working conditions matter to teachers?