Humboldt school board approves expulsion consent agreement after closed session

The Humboldt Community School District Board of Education voted unanimously on April 23 to approve an expulsion consent agreement for a student after holding a closed session to consider suspension or expulsion and to review confidential records.

President Tate Satern called the special meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. at the district administration office. Board members Mertz, Lane, Stockdale and Ropte were recorded as present along with administrators Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Nelson and Mr. Fedders, School Resource Officer Michael Vinsand, Superintendent Jim Murray and Board Secretary Rhiannon Lange.

Board member Mertz moved and Ropte seconded approval of the meeting agenda. Later, Mertz moved and Lane seconded that the board enter closed session under Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(e) to discuss whether to conduct hearings to suspend or expel a student and Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(a) to review or discuss records required or authorized by law to be kept confidential. The roll call vote to enter closed session was unanimous. The board went into closed session at 5:02 p.m. and returned to open session at 5:29 p.m.

After returning to open session, Mertz moved and Lane seconded to approve the expulsion consent agreement "as recommended by the Superintendent" for the student who had been the subject of the closed session, per the meeting record. The roll call vote approving the agreement recorded Lane—Aye; Mertz—Aye; Stockdale—Aye; Ropte—Aye; and Satern—Aye. The motion carried unanimously.

The special meeting was adjourned at 5:30 p.m. The district did not disclose identifying information about the student in the public record. The action recorded is the board's formal approval of the consent agreement as described in the meeting minutes; the record attributes the recommendation to Superintendent Jim Murray.