Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Policy And Legal topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board adopts wellness policy, holds others and schedules special meeting to review ACLU amicus brief
Summary
The board voted to adopt a wellness policy (JLCK), moved several other policies forward or held them for revision, and agreed to seek the draft amicus brief before a special meeting to decide whether to sign on to an ACLU brief opposing prior federal/state mandates that threatened funding.
The Brentwood School Board voted to adopt policy JLCK (physical and emotional well‑being of students) and reviewed a package of other policy updates while members requested additional union and stakeholder feedback on some language.
During policy discussions the board debated subjectivity in employee‑student interaction language (policy JBEBB) and agreed to hold that policy for further review. Board members also moved and approved several other policies including unauthorized communication devices (JICJ) and a guidance/counseling policy after clarifying the packet and editorial changes; one member recorded a dissent on at least one vote.
In new business, the board considered whether to join an ACLU amicus brief related to last year’s ‘Dear Colleague’ guidance and related state legislative changes that threatened federal funding if districts adopted vague prohibitions on so‑called 'divisive concepts.' Administration said the amicus brief’s filing deadline is May 22 and estimated legal costs of roughly $5,000–$8,000 for the work, to be divided among districts that sign on. Board members expressed differing views: some said signing would protect local control and teachers from vague mandates, while others criticized spending taxpayer money to join a legal filing without first seeing the draft.
The board asked counsel to provide the draft brief, agreed to schedule a special meeting to review it and possibly vote, and said any vote would be publicly posted; if counsel’s timing prevents a posted special meeting before the May 22 filing deadline, the board may forgo sign‑on.
What happens next: the board will post a special meeting if the draft arrives in time and will invite public review before deciding whether to sign the amicus brief; policy JBEBB will be reworked with union input before reconsideration.
