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Board denies parent's Level 3 grievance appeal, citing filing deadline
Summary
The Dickinson ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Oct. 6 to deny a parent's Level 3 appeal of a grievance dismissal, concluding the formal complaint was filed beyond the district's 15-day window under policy FNG(local).
The Dickinson ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Oct. 6 to deny a Level 3 appeal by a parent who challenged the administration's dismissal of a grievance as untimely.
The appeal concerned whether the district's 15-business-day filing window under policy FNG(local) should be tolled because the parent had difficulty locating the required grievance form. "I turned in a grievance form on April 10," said Nakisha Owens, the appellant, who told the board she first viewed the relevant video April 9 and then sought to file but was told by campus staff that the formal grievance form was not available at the high school. "Mister Cobb did not respond to me until May 23, in which he said that it was untimely," Owens said.
Kimberly Yancey, NAACP state education chair, spoke in support of Owens and urged the board to consider remedies for a senior student who the speaker said had experienced prior bullying. "Her dream was stopped because of a technicality," Yancey said, asking the board to find a path that would not deny the student an opportunity because of process barriers.
Robert Cobb, Dickinson ISD executive director of student support services, told trustees the district followed its written policy and the record shows the formal grievance was dated May 14. "If she knew on March 14 and the grievance is not dated until May 14, that's way past 15 days," Cobb said, walking the board through the FNG policy language that sets the filing window and the district's distinction between informal and formal processes. He noted the district posts policies and forms in handbooks and on its website and said campuses maintain formal grievance forms.
Legal counsel Eric Nichols opened the hearing and reiterated that the board's review was limited to the timeliness question and to the administrative record; he advised the board that no new evidence would be accepted. After presentations and a closed deliberation with counsel, the chair moved to deny the appeal and sustain the administration's level-2 dismissal. The motion was seconded and carried by voice vote; trustees voted "aye" unanimously.
The hearing record and the district's grievance paperwork remained part of the public record. The board concluded the item and moved on to adjournment.
