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Teachers' request on harassment protections referred to policy committee
Summary
The board agreed to refer a teachers-union request for clearer protections for staff in policies addressing harassment to the policy committee and to ask the union for specific proposed language while staff consults legal counsel.
The board referred a teachers-union correspondence requesting clearer inclusion of teachers and staff in policies related to harassment and protection to the district's policy committee for review.
The Chair read correspondence from Mr. Bennett of the teachers' union asking that teachers be included in any policy developed about protecting students and staff. The Chair said the district would respond and suggested passing the matter to the policy committee for research and recommendation.
District staff told trustees that existing contract language and district policies already provide protections for adults in the district, but staff also acknowledged inconsistencies across policies and a lack of explicit language concerning parents. “So far from what I've seen, they are very covered,” a staff member said of teachers and staff, while also noting there are areas where policy language can be clarified and made consistent.
Trustees emphasized the need for a clear definition of harassment and recommended legal review: board members suggested consulting the district attorney and New York State guidance to ensure policies align with statutory definitions and that policy language is consistent across student and adult protections.
The board asked Mr. Bennett to clarify the union's specific concerns and asked the policy committee to review existing policies and report back. No immediate policy changes were adopted at the meeting; the item was referred for committee review and possible revision.
