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District to revert some policies as federal guidance, court rulings alter state recommendations, superintendent says
Summary
Superintendent briefed board on new federal-level changes prompting OSPI and the state association to advise returning to earlier (2020) policy language for some gender and Title IX–related rules; district will follow current law and state guidance as cases are decided in court.
The Othello School District will review and, where required by state guidance, revert certain board policies to earlier versions after changes in federal guidance and legal developments, Superintendent said.
Superintendent Brez told the board the Office for Civil Rights, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the state association had adjusted policy guidance after several federal executive-branch actions and court developments. Brez said that, for some Title IX and gender-related guidance, "the state of Washington said, alright. We need to go step back to 2020," and that the district would present state-recommended policy language to the board.
Brez framed the change as a response to evolving federal guidance and pending court decisions. "We're doing what ... the law pushes them," Brez said, explaining that OSPI and the state association are advising districts to follow current court rulings and state-level direction while some federal matters remain undecided. "The consistency is that we're gonna follow the law at the moment," he told the board, adding that some guidance that had been in effect between 2020 and 2024 may be reinstated at the state level until federal issues are resolved.
Board members asked how the district decides which federal guidance to adopt; Brez said the district is following the law and state guidance and will bring recommended policy revisions to the board for review and approval.
No formal policy votes were held at this meeting; board members were notified that several policy updates on the agenda had been adjusted to conform with state and federal guidance and that formal approval would be scheduled for a future meeting.
