Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reviews bullying policy and Title IX reporting procedures; asks for clarity on complaint form
Summary
Members reviewed the district's bullying/cyberbullying policy and Title IX process, identified Dr. Oberg as the Title IX coordinator, discussed whether written complaints automatically become formal, and suggested requiring staff to send the complaint form to anyone who reports an incident.
The committee discussed the district's bullying and cyberbullying policy at length on June 20, focusing on how reports are handled, who serves as the Title IX coordinator, and whether the written complaint form creates a formal complaint automatically.
Mrs. Fry asked who serves as McGuffey's Title IX coordinator; speakers said it is Dr. Oberg. The solicitor and board members explained the typical workflow: parents first speak with a teacher, then to the building principal, and if unresolved, to the superintendent. There is a complaint form posted on the district website, and board members said they had moved it to a higher-visibility location at the board's request.
Board members discussed confusion in the community about when a written submission becomes a "formal" complaint. The form itself includes a checkbox at the bottom allowing the filer to indicate an "informal" or "formal" report; speakers also said many complaints are initially routed through Title IX to ensure federal requirements are considered. "Title IX is very clear that you can suggest that they file a formal complaint, but they don't have to," one speaker said.
Several board members and Mrs. Fry suggested procedural changes to improve clarity: separating Title IX reporting language from general bullying/harassment on the form, and mandating that any staff member who receives a report provide the complainant with the written form electronically (email or similar) so there is a clear record. The solicitor said that if the solicitor is conflicted or if Title IX coordination is conflicted, the district would need to appoint a different coordinator or hire outside counsel.
The policy is due for its routine review this fall (it was last revised in August 2021), and board members said the committee should use that review cycle to consider revisions responding to community concerns about awareness and perceived bias in handling complaints. No formal changes were adopted at the committee meeting; the discussion resulted in a directive to include these questions in the upcoming policy-review process and to bring additional information back to the board.
