BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE – Among some other changes in Bradford schools’ Code of Conduct is the specific prohibition of clothing items that suggest gang affiliation.
“Anything that’s potential gang identification,” Assistant Superintendent Karen Clarke said. “That can include signs, symbols or just colors.”
An entire section on gangs and gang-related activity has been added. Gangs are defined as a formal or informal group of three or more individuals whose activities include the commission of crime or violent acts and who identify with one another using common signs, colors or symbols.
“Gang-related activity may include … any written or physical act which is associated with becoming a member of a gang, being a member of a gang, or participating in gang-identified rituals or behaviors, including but not limited to dress, tattoos, bandanas (used as gang identifiers), graffiti, hand signals or gestures, or verbal slang,” according to the code.
All of this is prohibited on school grounds, transportation and at school sponsored events on and off campus.
There was some concern that the language was too vague and could end up implicating innocent examples of friendship and bonding. School Board Member Sheila Cummings gave the example of a group of girlfriends who decide to wear the same color one day.
Clarke said in her experience as a principal it was primarily colored clothing or bandanas that were suggestive of gang activity. Members would wear something tied around their wrist or all start wearing the same red shorts. It’s not a one-time occurrence, however, but a pattern of behavior.
“Most of these instances are things we already know about and people that we already know associate with certain groups that say they’re a gang,” Superintendent Will Hartley said, adding students also talk about and post their affiliations on social media. “We learn a lot from the students,” he said.
Principal Chris Coffey said any disciplinary action would be based on the definition of gangs and gang activity included in the new code.
Another dress code change allows tights, leotards, yoga pants, leggings or jeggings to be worn as pants if they are worn with a fingertip-length shirt.
The code also adds slides to sandals and flip-flops as shoes that cannot be worn during PE or certain career technical classes.
The rules for wireless electronic devices now give teachers the authority to designate a location to store all devices during class if they choose. Hartley reminded Clarke they also need to add something prohibiting wearing more than one earbud around campus because students wearing two can be difficult to communicate with, and the distraction could be dangerous.
The expulsion and appeals process has also been clarified in the updated code.
The school board is also adding or updating the following policies:
–a policy prohibiting students from having firearms or weapons in a car on school property or at a school function. A separate policy also applies to employees other than school safety officers and guardians.
–a policy outlining when transfers students can participate in sports. They may play if they transfer prior to the sports season beginning. They may play under special circumstances if they were played at their prior school, e.g., military families, foster care, change of custody, marriage. This policy is more typical of a larger district with multiple middle or high schools.
–a policy specifying a three-year probationary period for noninstructional employees, during the first 90 days of which the superintendent can fire them for any reason.
–a policy specifying the contractual year of service for administrative and instructional employees and allowing the superintendent to credit administrators with up to 5 years or $10,000 for teaching experience for the purposes of recruitment and retention.
Pupil progression plans are being updated to:
–require instruction on Medal of Honor Day, victims of communism, and the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Instruction on sexual orientation is prohibited entirely through eighth grade, and in grades nine through 12 unless the instruction is age and developmentally appropriate.
–prescribe a list of interventions for students who are underperforming in math the way interventions were prescribed for reading in the past. The plans also required that students who are not performing satisfactorily in English or math to be included in an individual education or progress monitoring plan or a schoolwide system of progress monitoring.
–require students under 18 who are leaving school to pursue a GED to participate in an exit interview, complete an application and have that application reviewed with a letter of hardship by the assistant superintendent. Clarke said a lot of 16- and 17-year-olds are choosing this option, and it may not be their best option. Eligibility must be based on hardship such as family financial hardship.
A public hearing on these changes will take place at the next board meeting on July 24.
