Committee updates student conduct policies: bullying, discipline, and mandated renumbering for dating-violence education

The Upper Dublin policy committee reviewed a suite of student-conduct policies at its April meeting, including the district's bullying/cyberbullying policy (2-49), a mandated renumbering of the dating-violence education policy (to 8-19), the suicide-awareness policy, and Student Discipline (02/18). Committee members requested edits to assure consistency between student discipline, reporting requirements, and special-education protections.

On bullying and cyberbullying (Policy 2-49), the committee sought two principal changes: consistent use of terminology and clarity on where the policy is published for families and students. Members recommended the student code of conduct should reference the board policy explicitly rather than attempt to restate the full policy in handbook text; one committee member asked staff to confirm whether the district must re-submit or re-certify any bullying materials on a three-year review cycle.

The committee discussed scope and discipline: several members argued that disciplinary procedures are best maintained in the Student Discipline policy and student handbook rather than repeated across multiple policies. The committee asked staff to add a cross-reference in each policy so parents and school staff will be directed to the relevant discipline or reporting sections.

On dating-violence education (mandated as Policy 8-19 in state school-code numbering), the committee asked staff to ensure the dating-violence and suicide-awareness pages include opt-out language consistent with the district's practice: parents or guardians may request that a student be excused from all or part of a program. Staff said the dating-violence draft was based on PSBA model language and that the panel would check whether the same opt-out and trauma-informed accommodations language should also be present in the suicide-awareness policy.

Student Discipline (02/18) received detailed review. Committee members recommended the policy be tightened in several places: - Consistent protected-class language: a committee member asked that the nondiscrimination list be aligned with Policy 103 so both policies use the same protected-class wording. - Reporting: the committee asked staff to harmonize "may" versus "shall" when describing whether incidents must be reported to police or Safe Schools reporting systems; members favored mandatory reporting for weapons and other serious incidents. - Special-education considerations: members suggested removing duplicative language about accommodations for students with disabilities from every incident policy and placing it instead in the discipline/regulations section, where procedures for manifestation determinations and individualized planning already appear. - Jurisdiction language: the policy's existing phrase "within the jurisdiction of this board" prompted questions. Members asked staff to either define the phrase more concretely (for example: on district property, at district-sponsored events, or incidents that materially affect school order) or to point to the student code of conduct as the controlling scope statement.

The committee asked staff to align and return revised drafts that (1) reduce duplication by cross-referencing discipline procedures where appropriate, (2) standardize reporting requirements for serious incidents, and (3) ensure mandated items (dating-violence numbering, opt-out language) are present and consistent across policies. Revised drafts will be brought back for further committee consideration and then move to the legislative cycle.