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Board adopts staff-conduct and offender-notification policies, rejects broader parent-notify amendment
Summary
The Higley board approved policy GB EBB (staff conduct) and, after debate and a failed amendment, adopted JLIF (offender notification) consistent with state statute; the proposed amendment to require proactive parent notification of juvenile offenders failed 3-2.
At its meeting the Higley Unified School District governing board approved several policy items and considered a contested amendment to the district’s offender-notification policy.
On a third read the board voted to approve policy GB EBB (staff conduct with students). President Wade called the motion and the policy passed unanimously 5-0.
The most contested vote involved policy JLIF, which governs district procedures for disseminating information received from law enforcement about adult and juvenile registered offenders. Board member Van Hook proposed amended language to require that the superintendent proactively notify parents and guardians when the district receives court notification about a juvenile adjudicated delinquent for or convicted of a dangerous or specified offense. Van Hook argued proactive notice would help protect students and prevent further harm.
Legal counsel and other board members expressed concerns about the scope and legal risks of mandatory proactive notification for juveniles. The amendment to require proactive parent notification failed on a 3-2 vote. The board then adopted JLIF as presented based on the recommendation to align district policy with state statutory language; the subsequent motion to adopt the policy passed (votes reported in the meeting record). Board members discussed that any notification must be consistent with state and federal information protections and that school staff would develop safety plans and consult with law enforcement when appropriate.
Board members and staff also noted that if parents wish to confirm whether an enrolled student is an adjudicated juvenile offender they may have recourse via public-records procedures; district counsel reiterated the adopted policy mirrors statutory language and emphasized the district’s duty to follow state law.
The board approved the Center for the Future of Arizona agreement later in the meeting and clarified that the district will provide aggregate data and obtain parental consent for student surveys in the pilot work.
