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Committee approves forwarding new discrimination and harassment grievance procedure (Policy 161.1) to full board
Summary
The committee voted to forward Policy 161.1, a new discrimination and harassment grievance procedure, to the full board. The new policy clarifies investigatory steps, timelines ("working days"), and a conflict path when the Title IX coordinator is recused.
The Concord School Board Communication and Policy Committee voted Feb. 10 to forward a newly drafted discrimination and harassment grievance procedure (Policy 161.1) to the full board for first reading.
Committee members described the draft as a new, standalone procedure that lays out investigation levels, timelines and handoffs. Chair Kara Meeker noted the document is a new policy (no markups) and recommended moving it to the board for a first reading. The motion, made by Barb Higgins and seconded by Liz Boucher, passed with the committee recording the vote as unanimous.
Key substantive changes discussed include explicit use of "working days" when calculating timelines, alignment of titles and coordinators (for example, consistent references to an "ADA 504 coordinator"), and a clarification about how investigations are routed when the Title IX coordinator has a conflict of interest. Meeker read the language added to the draft: "If someone other than the Title IX coordinator served as the investigator, the Title 9 coordinator will receive the report and either adopt the report as submitted or modify and complete the report upon further investigation and or review of applicable policy and law; except that if the Title 9 coordinator has a conflict of interest in superintendent will receive the report from the investigator." (language read verbatim from the draft during committee discussion).
Committee members also discussed the section on consequences and remedies: the draft states that if prohibited or illegal discriminatory conduct is found, the superintendent "in consultation with the board, will make prompt, effective, and appropriate action to address the behavior." Committee members cautioned that board members who are party to an appeal must be careful about early involvement; the committee clarified consequences would be applied after any appeal window concluded.
The committee directed staff to incorporate a small wording change to shorten a redundant sentence regarding complaints tied to educational disability and referral to the ADA/504 coordinator before the packet reaches the full board.
What happens next: Policy 161.1 will be presented to the full School Board as a first reading; staff will make the minor wording and cross-reference edits discussed in committee.
