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Colchester board advances revised weapons policy, separates firearms into required state policy
Summary
Board approved a second reading of a revised weapons policy that gives administrators discretion to bring students to the school board for expulsion under defined criteria; the board also approved a first reading of a separate firearms policy required by state statute.
The Colchester School District Board of Directors on May 20 approved a second reading of a revised weapons policy (F24) and held a first reading of a separate firearms policy to comply with state statute.
District staff told the board the weapons-policy rewrite removes automatic referral of all weapon-related incidents to the school board and instead gives the superintendent, in consultation with the board chair, discretion to bring a case to the board for an expulsion hearing. The revised language says that "any student who brings a weapon or possesses a weapon at school may be brought by the superintendent to the school board for an expulsion hearing" and lists criteria the superintendent and board chair should consider, including the age of the student, prior disciplinary history, intent, impact on the school community, awareness of the possession, how the weapon was found or reported, threatening behavior and the administrative team's assessment of facts.
A presenter told the board that state statute requires a separate firearms policy with a mandatory one-calendar-year expulsion for firearms, and that the district separated firearms from the broader weapons policy to be clearer and more transparent for families and staff. "If students are found to be in violation of a firearms policy, the state statute says that the students shall be expelled by the school board for one calendar year," the presenter said.
Board members and student representatives had discussed the trade-offs of a discretionary standard versus a mandatory rule. One board member cautioned that discretionary language can create the risk of differential treatment and said the district should monitor outcomes to guard against implicit bias. Student board member Riley said the policy change did not make them feel less safe, adding, "Because of our school culture and the relationships I've built, I think that that change in language doesn't affect how I feel in safety-wise school." The presenter responded that the administration plans to monitor each use of the new language over the first year and return to the board with reflections.
The board moved to approve the second reading of the weapons policy (F24); the motion carried. Because the firearms policy is required by state law and VSBA guidance, the board approved its first reading and said both policies will return for additional review before final adoption.
Ending: The weapons policy will proceed to a future final vote after the board and administration monitor initial cases under the new discretionary language. The firearms policy will be revised alongside legal references and returned for final adoption at a subsequent meeting.
