HANSON — June 17, 2026 — The Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee introduced a sweeping new Online Learning Policy to establish rigid safeguards after revealing that 44 high school students were quietly forced into automated online electives this past year without parental notice or student consent due to staffing shortages.
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The draft policy, which passed its first reading on Wednesday night, was fast-tracked by the Policy Subcommittee to curb what members characterized as an over-reliance on virtual instruction to mask schedule deficiencies. Policy Subcommittee Chair Stephanie Blackman revealed that 44 students had been placed directly into Edgenuity virtual classes simply because Whitman-Hanson High School lacked physical elective classroom space.
The systemic tracking sparked concern among board members and parents alike after it was revealed that neither the affected students nor their families were consulted prior to the automated placements. Committee member Warren MacCallum noted that his own child had been placed into an online class without his knowledge, describing it as a poor fit that became the student’s “largest struggle” of the school year.
Under the proposed rules, virtual learning will be heavily restricted, requiring explicit parental authorization, documented student buy-in, and independent readiness assessments before enrollment. The policy asserts a foundational district commitment that the best education happens in person with qualified professional educators. Exceptions will remain intact for specialized coursework not offered locally—such as Mandarin Chinese—or for circumstances like credit recovery and medical home tutoring.
