Superintendent pulls proposed change to student code of conduct after legal wording raised concerns; community demands explicit protections for LGBTQ students

Superintendent Conner pulled item 10.14 — a proposed revision to section 300.3 of the student code of conduct — from Tuesday’s agenda after district review found the legal language could be read as weakening nondiscrimination protections for students.

"That language should have never made it to that point to a public agenda," Conner told the board, saying he had directed staff to return the item in June with language consistent with other district documents, including the student progression plan. "As the superintendent, I am ultimately responsible for what appears on the agenda and what is published. So that was a miss."

Why it matters: dozens of public commenters urged the board to explicitly preserve protections for students based on ****** orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Speakers said removing named protections would harm vulnerable students and requested the district adopt clear non‑discrimination language rather than rely solely on generic references to federal and state law.

What the district said it will do

- Conner said he instructed staff to work with legal counsel to revise the proposed language so it "matches that language to what this board has previously approved in other district documents, such as our student progression plan." - The superintendent said the revised language will be returned to the board and the June agenda and that the district is committed to "making sure that every student is safe, respected, and protected every single day."

Public reaction

Speakers at the meeting — including teachers, parents, community organizations (Support Our Schools, Equality Florida, LULAC), religious leaders and students — urged the board to keep explicit protections in the code of conduct. Several asked for formal commitments:

- Restore explicit, enumerated nondiscrimination protections for groups the community named in previous drafts, including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. - Reject future attempts to weaken those protections and be transparent about any future changes. - Keep the district’s stated commitment, "every student, every day," as an enforceable policy pledge.

Multiple speakers framed the item as more than semantics; they cited mental‑health implications, reported bullying statistics and asked the district to make protections explicit so students and families know where to turn.

Where this stands

Item 10.14 was removed from the published agenda; Conner said the corrected language will reappear on the June agenda after staff and legal counsel align it with previously approved district documents. No formal board vote or policy change occurred on Tuesday.

Several public commenters requested continued transparency and asked the board to consider additional public meetings or written explanation if the text changes in the coming weeks.