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Board weighs repealing District 11 equity policy after OCR letter; legal review to guide next steps
Summary
Following discussion in executive session about a Feb. 14 Office for Civil Rights letter, the board directed staff and legal counsel to review the district's equity policy (policy AG). Directors differed on whether the policy should be repealed, revised to a higher‑level nondiscrimination statement, or retained with edits.
Colorado Springs School District 11 board members discussed how to respond to a Feb. 14 Dear Colleague letter from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and whether to repeal or revise the district's equity policy (policy AG).
Board members said they had consulted with legal counsel in executive session about the letter and options for the policy. Legal counsel recommended either revising policy AG to a higher‑level nondiscrimination statement or repealing it; those options were presented to the full board for feedback during the public work session. The board did not take final action; staff said the policy will come back as a nonaction/action item after further community input and legal review.
Some directors urged retaining the equity policy, noting it was developed with community input and includes provisions beyond nondiscrimination that commit the district to provide appropriate resources and safe school environments. Others said similar commitments already exist elsewhere in district policy (for example, in the district's vision/mission/strategic planning policy) and that specific language in policy AG raised legal concerns that counsel should resolve.
Director Jorgensen, not present at the meeting, told the board he supported repealing the policy and asked that his views be recorded. The board agreed to bring the proposed repeal or revision to a future board meeting as a nonaction item followed by an action vote.
Staff told the board that further edits will be prepared by legal counsel and that the district will solicit community feedback before any repeal or final change is adopted.
