The Faribault Public School District policy committee on Nov. 4, 2025, voted to forward a slate of personnel and student-health policies to the school board after a routine three-year policy review, while members debated language on gender identity and on minors' consent to certain health services.

The meeting, called to order at 3:48 p.m., covered more than a half-dozen policies. The committee approved sending policy 401 (Equal Employment Opportunity); Speaker 4 objected to part of the policy's definition language, arguing some constituents view sexual orientation or gender-identity definitions as limited to "male or female" and that the policy could conflict with religious liberty and federal civil-rights law. Speaker 4 said, "I'm having a little problem here," and urged an amendment to remove references to gender identity and replace them with language limited to "maleness or femaleness." The amendment failed for lack of a second, and the committee voted to forward policy 401 to the board.

Several other personnel policies were approved for referral without substantive change: policy 402 (Disability Nondiscrimination), policy 403 (Discipline, suspension and dismissal of employees), policy 404 (Employment background checks), and policy 404.1 (staff admission to school events). On policy 404.1, a committee member said the rule waives admission fees for staff who present a current district ID and confirmed retirees are covered; athletic tournaments and some fundraising events are excluded.

Policy 410 (Family and Medical Leave) prompted discussion over federal and state overlap. Speaker 4 proposed striking a sentence that stated federal law supersedes state and local law; that amendment received no second and did not proceed. Speaker 2 cautioned the committee to watch how Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave implementation and future statutory changes could require further updates. The committee recorded a 7‑to‑1 vote to forward policy 410 to the board.

Policy 417 (Chemical Use and Abuse) included a contested paragraph (4F) that, as written in the draft, stated a minor may consent to certain medical or mental-health services related to alcohol and drug treatment without parental consent. Speaker 4 asked that the paragraph be deleted; Speaker 2 read the relevant state-law language aloud and warned the committee that grants tied to prior written parental consent (for example, student support and academic enrichment grants) could be jeopardized if district practice conflicted with federal requirements. No amendment received a second; the policy was forwarded.

On policy 420 (students and employees with certain communicable diseases), Speaker 4 asked for clarification about the committee's obligation to provide "equal access and comparable services" for students barred from in‑person play because of a contagious condition and whether the wording implied automatic partnerships with outside providers such as Health Finders or the district's wellness approach. Staff responded that partnerships are not the district curriculum and that students who are temporarily barred from participation (for example, until medically cleared for wrestling conditions such as ringworm) may remain part of the team though not engage in contact until cleared by a medical professional.

The committee also approved policy 415 (mandated reporting of maltreatment of vulnerable adults) and policy 423 (employee/volunteer–student relationships). The chair announced the committee had no policy revisions or new policies at this meeting and set the next meeting for Dec. 2, 2025, at 3:45 p.m. All forwarded policies will be considered by the full school board at a future board meeting.

Votes at a glance: policy 401 (send to board; amendment failed for lack of second); policy 402 (send to board, mandatory policy); policy 403 (send to board); policy 404 (send to board); policy 404.1 (send to board); policy 408 (subpoena of employee — send to board); policy 410 (send to board, recorded 7‑1); policy 415 (send to board); policy 417 (send to board, contested paragraph 4F raised, amendment failed); policy 420 (send to board); policy 423 (send to board).