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Flagler staff outline revisions to student code of conduct, schedule public comment before May board vote
Summary
District staff presented proposed changes to the student code of conduct at a April 22 workshop, including new major/minor categories for defiance and false reporting, clearer rules on event participation and off-campus conduct, and plans to open the draft for public feedback for roughly 2½–3 weeks prior to a May board meeting.
At a Flagler County School Board workshop on April 22, district staff presented a revised draft of the student code of conduct and described plans to open the draft for public comment ahead of a board vote scheduled for mid-May.
The presentation by district staff described substantive changes under consideration, including separate "defiance: major" and "defiance: minor" categories to allow more precise discipline coding; parallel major/minor categories for false reporting; explicit language about how disciplinary incidents may affect participation in field trips and school rewards; clearer reporting channels (including a "See Something, Say Something" entry point); proposals to set timelines for investigating alleged violations; and language clarifying that students who mutually or prearrangedly engage in physical altercations typically will not be excused by claims of self-defense. Staff also described adding explicit authority to discipline off-campus conduct that causes substantial disruption or safety concerns at school.
District staff said the draft reflects roughly 40–50 responses gathered in an initial outreach phase — staff at one point cited about 47 responses and later about 42 — with many responses from parents and from secondary-school stakeholders. The feedback so far has focused first on discipline, followed by dress code, attendance and related issues; staff noted some respondents provided multiple, cross-cutting concerns in a single submission. To broaden comment, the district will move the feedback link from the discipline page to a prominent place on the district website and run a coordinated social-media and school outreach campaign. Staff told the board the draft will be posted for public comment for about two-and-a-half to three weeks when it returns for the board workshop on May 13.
Board members pressed staff on several implementation details. Questions addressed whether schools would have autonomy in applying event-participation rules so long as advance notice is provided to families; how the appeals timeline currently set at two school days might be adjusted to provide more flexibility for families; clarification of what counts as "witness" evidence for disciplinary investigations versus law-enforcement matters; and how the district will distinguish disciplinary incidents from bullying under state statute. Staff said they plan to standardize advance-notice procedures for ineligibility from awards or field trips, extend and clarify appeal timelines, provide clearer guidance on reporting timelines for older incidents, and produce outreach materials and a student panel event to collect broader input.
No formal action or vote was taken on April 22. Staff said they will present the revised draft to the board on May 13 and keep the draft open for public comment for roughly 2½–3 weeks prior to that meeting.
The discussion is likely to shape rules that govern discipline, appeals and student participation in extracurricular activities across Flagler County schools; the board and staff said they want to balance school autonomy with standardized advance notice and clearer processes for families.
