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ISTD Board adopts policy change disqualifying candidates convicted of certain school-ground assaults or harassment
Summary
The ISTD Board of Education voted to adopt changes to policy G250P (aligned to the board manual G250B) that add candidate-qualification language disqualifying individuals convicted of first- or second-degree assault or harassment occurring on district grounds; the board also approved handbook updates expanding extracurricular eligibility for homeschool and virtual students and removing durags from prohibited dress items.
The ISTD Board of Education on Tuesday adopted revisions to policy G250P to align the board manual with recent state legislation and add a new qualification disallowing candidates who have been found guilty of, or pleaded guilty to, first- or second-degree assault or harassment where the offense occurred on school district grounds.
Board members read and discussed the statutory language before the vote. A board speaker read the added sentence as follows: "[A candidate must] not have been found guilty of or plead guilty to the offense of assault in the first or second degree under section 565.050 or 565.052, or of the offense of harassment in the first or second degree under section 565.090 or 565.091, where such assault or harassment occurred on school district grounds." The motion to read and adopt the policy carried by voice vote.
Why it matters: The change narrows eligibility for board service based on certain criminal findings tied specifically to conduct on district property, and staff said the update was required by recent legislative action. Board members said the revision is intended to keep the board manual and policy consistent with state statute.
Handbook and extracurricular eligibility updates: The board also approved two changes to the parent and student handbooks prompted by statute. One adds a summary explaining that homeschooled students, full-time virtual students and family-paced education students may participate in district athletics and fine arts activities as allowed by the new law; administrators reported a small number of homeschool students are already participating in athletics and specials at several schools. The board approved also removing durags from the list of prohibited dress items in elementary and middle-school handbooks to align with the Crown Act.
What happens next: Administrators said handbook changes will be communicated to families via ParentSquare and email; students and parents will not be required to re-acknowledge the entire handbook. The board adjourned to a closed session afterward to consider personnel, legal, real estate and student matters.
