Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comments Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and residents press Lawrence schools for clearer misconduct response plans and guidance on staff participation in neighborhood groups
Summary
Public commenters at the USD 497 board meeting urged the district to publish a specific prevention and response plan for sexual misconduct and to consider policies limiting district staff leadership roles in neighborhood associations where conflicts could arise.
Several public commenters used the board’s public-comment period to urge clearer district policies on child safety, misconduct prevention and staff participation in neighborhood organizations.
A resident, Tricia Messentine, told the board she had been active in a neighborhood Facebook group and described moderation rules that she said restricted discussion of allegations involving local school staff. She asked the board’s policy committee to consider a policy to address potential conflicts of interest when district employees participate in neighborhood groups and suggested that district employees who work in a school implicated in allegations should not hold officer or leadership roles in neighborhood organizations that control communications. Messentine said she would follow up by email with additional information.
A parent commenter expressed fear about returning children to school following recent incidents and asked the board to publish a specific written plan that follows U.S. Department of Education guidance and recommendations from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network on preventing and responding to sexual misconduct. The commenter said two USD 497 employees had been arrested for sexual crimes against children in the past two years (attributed as the commenter’s statement) and asked the district to provide two free professional-development courses on the topic within 30 days and to convene a committee to develop and implement a comprehensive plan.
A separate participant, Justin Spies, delivered remarks critical of the board and used profane and abusive language; the board president issued a warning and the meeting proceeded.
Board members did not take formal action during public comment. The board president interrupted one speaker when time elapsed and the meeting moved to closing items and adjournment. Commenters providing names of local professionals said they would make themselves available to support planning and training.
