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Jericho board holds lengthy first reading of unified Code of Conduct; trustees raise concerns
Summary
The board conducted a page-by-page first reading of proposed District Code of Character, Conduct and Support (policy 7300). Trustees and legal counsel debated definitions, student reporting expectations, restorative practices, and disciplinary standards; the board opted to table further action pending consolidated comments and a public comment period.
District staff presented a consolidated draft of policy 7300, a proposed 55-page District Code of Character, Conduct and Support intended to replace multiple existing policies. The presenter said the draft consolidates roughly 11 separate policies into one unified code and asked the board to review substantive changes ahead of a formal public comment period. "We then followed up with Mr. Goodstatt, to get a better sense of that, and he was able to share a template of a policy numbered 7,300, which we then used as our baseline," staff explained.
Board members asked detailed, page-by-page questions about several provisions that would change school practices. Concerns included a subjective standard for prohibiting "intolerant" speech, possible duplication across sections, dress-code specificity, and an expanded expectation that students report peers' misconduct. One board member asked whether the policy effectively creates an "honor code" that would punish students for not reporting classmates; another warned that requiring reporting could be a "game changer" for student discipline and requested community input. Legal counsel and staff cited DASA and commissioner guidance as the legal framework for off-campus and online conduct; staff recommended a 30-day public comment period before adoption and the board agreed to collect consolidated redlines for a second reading.
