Kent School District pauses Title IX policy update, discusses recess, nutrition and wellness rules

The Kent School District Board spent a special public work session beginning at 5 p.m. reviewing proposed policy changes on student nondiscrimination, school safety, nutrition, recess and wellness and directed staff to obtain legal review before advancing several items to a formal board vote.

The discussion mattered because it touches student civil‑rights processes, daily student routines, and federal and state program compliance that shape school operations across the district.

Holly, a district staff member who led the presentation, told the board the district is holding proposed revisions to Policy 3205 — titled discrimination and harassment of students prohibited — ‘‘per our legal counsel’’ after a federal court ruling. Holly said the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky vacated the 2024 Title IX regulations on Jan. 9 and ‘‘vacated entirely, meaning they totally threw out the 2024 Title IX new regulations. They said that the regulations were invalid and must be set aside, and this ruling applies nationwide.’’ Holly said the 2020 Title IX regulations are now back in effect and that the district’s existing policies (3205 for student discrimination, 3207 for harassment and bullying, and…