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Franklin Pierce School Board unanimously adopts updated student and staff nondiscrimination policies
Summary
The board adopted multiple updated nondiscrimination and harassment policies, including procedures for grievances and gender‑inclusive schools; officials emphasized compliance with 2024 regulatory changes and a 10‑day grievance timeline goal.
The Franklin Pierce School Board voted unanimously to adopt a package of updated nondiscrimination and harassment policies for students and staff during its regular meeting, a move trustees said aligns district procedures with 2024 regulatory changes.
Board action came on three items under unfinished business. After a motion and brief discussion that included a virtual check‑in from Dr. Pollard, directors unanimously approved Policy 03/2024 addressing discrimination and harassment of students. The board then approved Policy 05/2024 on discrimination and harassment of district staff and Policy 5012 concerning parental, family or pregnancy‑related conditions for staff.
The policies were presented with accompanying procedures intended to clarify complaint and grievance steps. Dr. Pollard, who joined the meeting virtually, said the district "opted to maintain the 10‑day timeline" for grievance resolution as a goal to create clarity for the community while retaining flexibility for investigations under 2024 requirements. He added the new procedures allow the district to retain some role distinctions (investigator, decision‑maker, coordinator) as a best practice while acknowledging there may be cases requiring overlapping roles.
Board members and staff also discussed a separate procedure titled "gender‑inclusive schools," which provides guidance on respectful naming and pronoun use, facility usage, and consultation steps for implementing student requests. Dr. Pollard noted the district will need ongoing and sustainable staff training to implement the guidance consistently across schools.
The board treated these items as policy adoptions with procedural follow‑ups rather than operational changes requiring immediate additional funding. Directors said the updates were intended to both meet compliance obligations and provide clearer, more accessible guidance for staff, students and families.
The board moved into later agenda items after the votes; the policies were adopted by voice vote with no opposing votes recorded. Questions about specific procedural language were invited to be submitted to district staff for further clarification.
