School board adopts some changes to student handbook

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

The Mid-Del School Board of Education approved some, but not all policy recommendations for the student handbook.

The board passed four of the seven recommendations from the student discipline committee during the Aug. 12 school board meeting.
Board member Shelly Schultz asked the board to table three items related to student transportation, grievance procedures for discrimination complaints, and parents shadowing classes.

The motion passed by a 3-1 vote. Silvya Kirk voted no, and Ed Daniel was absent.
The board then passed the four other items related to personal wireless devices, student discipline philosophy, cult/gang behavior and student dress code.

Schultz said she wanted to review the proposed changes.

“I wanted to take another look at these policies before they were published,” she said. “I’m grateful our Board works together with School Administration to create the best policies for our students.”

The student transportation changes added language that referred to a school bus procedures guide for parents and students that is posted on the district website.

Another proposed change would have modified language in section C-22 grievance procedures for filing, processing and resolving discrimination complaints under the pre-filing procedures.

The third item would change the district’s policy on allowing parents and guardians to visit or shadow school classrooms. The district’s current policy allows such visits with 24-hour notice and approval from the principal. The proposed change states that “unfettered access to classroom by parents creates a myriad of legal issues for school district personnel.” It states that allowing parents in the classroom can violate confidentiality to student records, create discipline problems if a parent disagrees with a teacher’s rules, and allow children to act inappropriately or interact with the parent during instructional time.

The approved changes to the handbook included:
– If a student videos or takes pictures of an altercation they will receive the same consequences as the students involved in the altercation.
– The list of unacceptable behaviors for students was expanded to include disrupting the learning environment and threats (verbal, physical or written).
– Students are prohibited from affiliation with cults/gangs and use of any paraphernalia or symbols associated with the cults/gangs. The term cult was added to the policy.
– The student dress code was modified to prohibit clothing that promotes hate speech or support content encroaching on basic human rights. It also now requires middle and high school students to use clear backpacks.

The students discipline committee is comprised of students, teachers, parents, administrators and school board members. All recommendations must be approved by the school board.