Canyon ISD board upholds administrative decision in student-discipline appeal, 7-0

The Canyon ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Jan. 29 to uphold an administrative decision in a student-discipline appeal, continuing the student’s placement in the district’s disciplinary alternative education program.

At a special meeting that opened at 5:30 p.m., the board convened in closed session under provisions of the Texas Government Code for consultation with legal counsel and to adjudicate the appeal. After reviewing the record and the evidence, Trustee Ginny Weingarner moved "that we uphold the administrative decision," and the motion was seconded and approved in a recorded vote of 7-0.

Board procedures cited the district’s student code of conduct and referenced a report provided by the Amarillo Police Department as part of the hearing record. "The board having reviewed the record and evidence before it may take such action and enter such order as it deems lawful and appropriate," the board president said when returning the body to open session. The board announced its action in the presence of the student and the student’s parents and directed the administration to provide written notice of the decision.

The trustees present for the vote were Randy Davis, Mandy Palmer, Catherine Wiegand, Ginny Weingarner, Carrie Trice, Lori Gilliland and Casey Posey. The board’s action upholds the hearing officer’s order and continues the student’s placement in DAEP as stated in that order. The meeting adjourned shortly after the vote.

The board identified the legal basis for the closed deliberation as provisions of the Texas Government Code governing privileged communications with counsel and certain student-discipline proceedings. No further public details about the evidence or the student were disclosed during the open session.