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District officials flag vaping and outline PBIS plans as student walkout questions surface
Summary
Superintendent summarized PBIS data and said vaping—especially THC vaping—is a growing problem; board said the district will seek cessation programs and include vaping prevention in PBIS teams on Feb. 20. Trustees also clarified how the district will treat peaceful student walkouts and parental notification for absences.
Superintendent Larry (first name only in the transcript) told trustees the district has been reviewing PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) data and that vaping violations—particularly those involving THC—are a prominent concern in fall semester referrals. He said the district has installed vape detectors in some buildings to help locate incidents and is seeking effective cessation programs rather than relying solely on discipline. "We have to find, right, cessation programs that work," he said, and noted PBIS teams will discuss prevention and mental-health aspects at a Feb. 20 meeting.
Board members pressed for data context and comparators. A trustee suggested PBIS reporting include the share of students with two or fewer office referrals (a public-health benchmarking approach) to better assess whether supports are keeping most students out of the office. Trustees noted that some vaping incidents led to recommendations for expulsion because of THC findings and that the district is pursuing prevention-focused, evidence-based responses.
Separately, in public comment and board discussion the ACLU guidance cited by a speaker prompted questions about student rights for planned walkouts. The board clarified legal expectations: students retain First Amendment protections inside schools (citing the Tinker v. Des Moines precedent), but conduct that disrupts instruction can be disciplined. Superintendent Larry said the district will not organize or endorse walkouts and will prioritize safety: resource officers and Hamilton County support can be used, and staff will try to keep students on campus where the district can supervise them. "Kids don't shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door," the superintendent said, adding that administrators will apply attendance and make-up-work procedures consistently.
What happens next: Trustees said they will ask PBIS teams to investigate promising cessation programs, embed prevention information in parent academy offerings, and report back at a future board meeting.
