Policy committee to revert most Title IX–related rules, update reporting requirements

Robertson County Public Schools policy committee members heard a presentation from district staff that most Title IX–related policies will be reverted to earlier language and submitted to the full board for review.

Administration staff member Bobby Locklear told the committee the changes “will be updated or making reference to Title IX policies or procedures as required by the federal government,” and that the district is returning most language to the versions used “about 2 years ago.” He said the proposed revisions are largely reverts: “Although you're gonna see a lot of red in these policies, all of these policies are just simply reverting back to where we were at 2 years ago.”

Why it matters: The committee was reviewing a large packet of spring policy updates. Staff said the changes affect multiple policy sections and how the district posts and handles grievance and reporting processes, which will affect parents, students and employees across the district.

What staff described - Policies listed in the packet that will be revised to reference Title IX include (as cited in the packet) 1510 (school safety references and cross-references to Title IX policies), 1710 (discrimination and harassment), 1720/1725/1726 (Title IX grievance and related procedures), and 1735 (bullying and harassment). Locklear said policy 1725 will be rescinded and replaced with a complete rewrite. - Staff said certain coordinator assignments must be updated in policy text: the district’s Section 504 coordinator named in the packet was Dr. Sherry Herndon and the ADA coordinator is Dr. Carr; Locklear said “we will need to update this policy 17 10 on page 9 to include our new section 5 0 4 coordinator which is Doctor Sherry Herndon. The other folks will remain the same. Doctor Carr is our ADA coordinator.” - Locklear said Title IX contact and investigator duties are noted in the packet; he identified Dr. Carr as “our Title 9 contact and investigator for the district.” - The packet also includes revisions that staff said change how employee misconduct is handled. According to presentation materials cited in the meeting, reporting requirements were tightened for staff misconduct, child abuse and threats to safety; termination and a report to the State Board of Education are described as required outcomes (rather than resignation as an option) when certain violations are substantiated. Locklear summarized: “Historically, in the past, you could accept a resignation for some of these behaviors. That is no longer the case. If there's a violation of these policies, that is not an option. That is a termination and a report to the State Board of Education so that they can revoke the license.”

Process and next steps - Locklear said the district will post revised Title IX policy language in school buildings and on the district website once the policies are approved by the board. - The policy committee voted to forward the spring updates to the full board with the administration’s recommendation; the committee’s motion to move the packet to the board passed by voice vote. Committee members also said they would present the same recommendation at the full board meeting to approve the spring updates except for policy 23.02, which the administration recommended leaving unchanged.

Discussion notes and concerns - Committee members and administrators discussed that the proposed changes largely revert to previous language that the district had used; Locklear repeatedly framed the packet as restoring earlier policy language after federal administrative changes prompted a rewrite in the intervening period. - Several committee members stressed consistency and careful implementation for Title IX and EC (exceptional children) issues, which they said can create “headaches” if not handled uniformly.

Speakers quoted or cited in this article are those who spoke during the committee presentation or discussion; quotes come from the meeting transcript.