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Parents and students press Governor Wentworth board on racism and student safety; superintendent pledges policy work
Summary
During public input, students and family members recounted racist incidents and urged enforcement of policy JICD; Superintendent Caroline Arakelian pledged policy updates and an updated Strategic Plan to address concerns and the board approved policy JJIC as amended.
Multiple community members and a student recounted experiences they described as racist and urged the board to enforce discipline policies and take concrete steps to improve student safety.
At the Feb. 3 meeting, student Kaaloni Boisvert said she had experienced racism at Kingswood Regional Middle School and described concerns for her personal safety; her mother, Angel Boisvert, who identified herself as an educator at the high school, asked the district to enforce policy JICD and to apply consistent consequences for violations of the student conduct code. Supporters including Julie Brown, Darren Boisvert and Joanne Cleaver urged the board to take action. Community member Kayla Hewitt said racism appears to be worsening in the district.
Superintendent Caroline Arakelian responded at length, thanking the board and community and saying she is personally committed to addressing racism and student safety through policy improvements and an updated Strategic Plan that will include work with the Great Schools Partnership. The Superintendent identified community resistance to curriculum and policy changes as a challenge and encouraged continued community engagement.
On policy work, Assistant Superintendent Heather Cummings reviewed a requested revision to policy JJIC (substituting SWAY testing references used by the athletic program for Impact Testing in the NHSBA sample). The Board unanimously waived the second meeting limitation under policy BG to take immediate action and approved policy JJIC as amended. The board also listed a set of policies for first reads, reaffirmation, revision, and withdrawal and discussed further review of promotion/retention language and the student conduct policy as it relates to racism and hate speech.
The meeting record does not show formal disciplinary actions taken at the meeting; trustees directed further policy review and noted the Superintendent will continue work on related strategic planning and policy implementation.
