In the wake

of allegations that a substitute teacher allowed students to view indecent

material on the Internet, Fayette County Board of Education members are

considering a policy change to require that future substitutes be at least

21 years old.

The board Monday

put the proposed change on the table for consideration at its July meeting.

Board members

had little to say about the proposed change during Monday's meeting, but

member Marion Key pointed out the irony of requiring substitute teachers

to be 21, while regular teachers might be younger.

"If this

had been in effect, I couldn't have taught my first year of school,"

she said.

In the incident

last March, the 19-year-old substitute was arrested.

"We felt

that a more mature person would have handled it differently," said

Superintendent John Decotis in presenting the policy change to the board.

Board member

Janet Smola wondered whether the School System might be open to lawsuits

charging age discrimination. "It could happen," said DeCotis.

If the policy

is adopted, current substitute teachers who are under 21 would be able

to continue working under a grandfather clause.

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