A heartfelt

appeal by a Tyrone family to allow a disenfranchised German exchange student

to attend Fayette County Schools prompted the administration to rework

its existing foreign exchange policy.

The revised

policy was presented to the Fayette County Board of Education for review

recently, and would allow foreign exchange students to apply for second-semester

admission to Fayette County schools, not just for a full semester.

"This

change would allow administration more flexibility in dealing with parent

requests to attend the Fayette County School System," said assistant

Superintendent Stuart Bennett. The policy was placed "on the table"

for review for 30 days.

Bennett said

in essence that school administrators wanted "a policy to protect

the schools... with some flexibility." Having set a one-month deadline

for student applications and records to be on file before admission should

prevent an onslaught of students, Bennett said.

Herbert Honrath,

a German-born citizen of Tyrone, addressed the board in October, explaining

how he and his family happened to take in a 16-year-old German exchange

student who was left in dire straits when her host family rescinded their

invitation due to a personal situation.

Honrath said

she was enrolled in Westlake High School in Fulton County, where she did

not feel safe, and was traveling 20 miles each way daily to attend classes.

The board asked Superintendent Dr. John DeCotis to look into the matter.

Currently the

student is being tutored and attending the night high school at Sandy

Creek, Bennett explained. If the board votes to change the policy, she

would be eligible to apply to Sandy Creek High School for the second semester

starting in January.