Schools

Chappaqua's Bullying Policy Gets Another Look

Board members discuss whether it's too broad and when it's appropriate for the district to be involved.

Chappaqua school board members are continuing to review a proposed policy that will cover harassment, bullying and discrimination among students, which is

The board, which previously talked about the policy at a May meeting, now has references to bullying, along with a legal definition, in the law's title and throughout the text. During the board did its previous draft reading, school board President Alyson Kiesel explained that it may colloquially be called a bullying policy, but that it officially was for harassment.

The decision to change its scope to bullying, Kiesel explained at Tuesday's second reading of the draft, was because it was felt necessary to include.

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Also new in the draft is the insertion of the phrase “materially and substantially” as a threshold for someone causing harm to a student and disrupting their educational experience. Board Member Victoria Tipp said it was added to be careful about approaching what goes outside of school and of district events.

“It’s here for a good reason, I think.”

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As at their last meeting, board members again brought up when and where its appropriate for the district to be involved. The scenario of a disruptive experience originally outside of their jurisdiction but spilling over to school, including through degradation of the student's experience, was frequently talked about.

Board member Randall Katchis who brought up this concern before, reiterated it, having you have to be careful about how far the reach is extended.

“Bullying outside of school is almost a parental responsibility," he said.

Responding, Kiesel brought up how if bullying affects the ability to learn, then it becomes their issue.

Tipp was sympathetic in looking at the situation.

“I wish the state law had been addressed to parents and not to schools," she said.

Board member Karen Visser worried that the policy could pose a problem for special needs kids who may not understand sufficiently what is appropriate, and about cross-cultural issues.

“I mean, there’s going to be a lot of misunderstandings,” she said.

Visser suggested removing the word "impinge" from one paragraph regarding harm because it does not suggest a certain act, and to replace it with the similar-sounding word "infringe," which does give certainty of something being done.

The board also discussed the murky situation of cyber bullying, which can take place off campus but potentially have ramifications to students.

Principal Andrew Selesnick noted that the district's attorneys have already talked about a nexus between school property and things that happen outside of it. He believes the idea of state requirement is to make the district more proactive when dealing with how children are treated.

“I think the concept here is the state doesn’t want us waiting until the fight breaks out," he said.

The board is required to have its policy in place by July 1, when the state law that mandates it takes effect.

Menawhile, the board also plans to revise the district's code of conduct to take hte new policy into account.


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