central bucks school district school meeting agenda notes

OCEAN CITY, N.J. The fog blew up and over the bridge leading into Ocean City as the minutes ticked down to the start of the Ocean City Board of Education meeting Jan. 4. Gamble did not run for re-election this year, and heresigned in August after receiving a death threat for previously casting the swing vote to keep masks optional. Its a funny play on words and its an appreciated joke. a legal challenge important for other disabled students and their families. The district paid Duane Morris $114,106 for legal services in December, according to January public meeting documents. The board also added cafeterias and common spaces as areas that will require social distancing. Hunter and Collopy were the dissenters in that vote. December CBSD Board Note Newsletter. Frazer was a sexual reference and kuhlmier was a school newspaper that didn't meet public thresholds and was part of a journalism class. "It's the direction the board has been going and we expected it, but we're going to keep fighting.". Emily Rizzo is WHYY News suburban reporter covering Bucks and Montgomery counties. "We are not addressing anything under item A because just this afternoon the secretary of health mandated that masks are mandatory as of Sept. 7," one of the board members announced. Tim Daly spoke about neutrality in the classroom during the public comment portion of the Central Bucks School District board meeting on Jan. 10, 2023. The demonstration at Central Bucks High School East and Holicong Middle School came as administrators were scheduled to meet with staff about Policy 321, a controversial policy supporters say creates a politically neutral learning environment but one that teachers and students say is an attempt to silence discussions about LGBTQ issues. A decision to cut multiple anti-racist teaching convention requests by Central Bucks School District officials last month raises state Sunshine Act questions. Warrington supervisors violated the act in 2016, when the four of the five-memberelected board discussed and then approved via email hiring a consultant to find a permanent township manager. Find a career with meaning today! Even if a quorum werent involved in the discussion, it sounds to me like the decision involved at least a majority or simple majority of the board, Melewsky said, referring to Hunters email about board support to remove the agenda items. Dozens were out in front of Central Bucks East High . Just one week after Policy 321 passed in the Central Bucks School District, around 150 teachers, students, and community members took to the sidewalk outside of Central Bucks East High School to protest its implementation. Operations Committee Meeting, 7:00 PM An earlier draft of Policy 321 was officially introduced at a committee meeting in September, but that draft would see multiple changes after it was reviewed by attorneys from Duane Morris LLP. Days after the reorganization meeting, Smith provided this news organization with a copy of the request listprior to the Nov. 9 meeting and the email from Hunter explaining the cuts. On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR. Each bag had a message on it that read, Stop attacking LGBTQ students. It came after a long period of public comment, with heated points from both sides and the board. Central Bucks teachers gathered outside of CB East High School Tuesday in . "Make no mistake, this is a policy borne out of bigotry and discrimination and one only needs to look at the previous revisions to see symbols of pride targeted.. Central Bucks School District 20 Welden Drive | Doylestown, PA 18901 | P: 267-893-2000 Useful Links Title IX Emergency Information E-Flyer Folder Web Accessibility This program allowed school districts to deliver instruction remotely on days in which they would otherwise have closed due to an emergency. Video: Kutz Elementary teachers, students bring holiday cheer, Students, teachers and staff of Kutz Elementary in Doylestown got into the holiday spirit on the "Holly Jolly Express. These five responsibilities represent core functions that are so . Reynolds is referring to the new restrictions under the district's Policy 321. If you experience any issues while listening to the stream, you may wish to refresh your browser or attempt to listen from another device or browser. Its how we live. CB West West Wing Band Concert, 9:00 AM "I'm not surprised, but very disheartened, very upset," a woman said. About three dozen people spoke about the policy during public comment; about one-third spoke in favor of it and two-thirds spoke against. Teachers from across Central Bucks School District gathered outside of two schools along Holicong Road in Buckingham on Tuesday protesting a recently approved policy restricting political and social policy discussions in classrooms. Since there were no opportunities to share concerts prior to the passing of this policy even though many did and were ignored many staff are feeling that this town hall is performative, states text message among the teachers shared with this news organization. The American Civil Liberties Unionfiled a complaintwith the U.S. Department of Education claiming the district is fostering a hostile environment for its LGBTQ students. While it is unclear exactly how the conversation to remove the Central Bucks requests occurred, Melewsky added that a quorum and a decision outside of a public meeting are not mutually exclusive to violate meeting laws. Shortly after last weeks meeting, Lucabaugh scheduled several voluntary town hall meetings with staff at district schools through the end of the month to discuss the impact of Policy 321. U.S. markets open in 3 hours 26 minutes. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY). Item 14C on the agenda calls for the approval to contract public relations services with Devine + Partners of Philadelphia at $15,000 per month from July 2022 - June 2023 (which doesn't include out-of-pocket costs and subsequent professional fees to be billed separately). Committee Meeting agendas and minutes are housed atBoardDocs.com- once on the BoardDocs site, select the committee from the drop down arrow located in the upper right corner of the BoardDocs homepage. The law only applies to elected officials and a violation can occur if a quorum of a board, in this case five of nine members, meet to discuss or vote on agency business. Debates over mask rules for K-12 schools have only driven that community . Central Bucks School District officials are expected to vote Tuesday night to hire a former U.S. Attorney and a federal prosecutor to review a discrimination complaint filed by the . Infinite Campus for Parents; MAP: Matey After-school Program; Transportation; Lunch Payment / My School Bucks; Volunteer Form; Enterovirus; Emergency Procedures; Teacher Sites. Sharon Ward, senior policy advisor for the Education Law Center, said the policy uses nice words to mask a chilling approach to legitimate classroom discussion. This handbook contains required of central bucks school district handbook will also plan for students attending classes for specific days. "Policy 321," which passed in a 6 to 3 vote, calls for banning teachers from talking about or displaying decor that advocates for "any partisan, political, or social policy issue.". LGBTQ students say this is another dig at them and the pride flag. 1 min read. Five requests to attend the National Council of Teachers of English convention on equity, justice, and anti-racist teaching did not have board support when theywere removed from the Nov. 9 meeting agenda, according to an email from school board leadership. Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect board members Suits and Smith were the previous school board President and Vice President. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY), Parent Leah Barnhart, of Doylestown Township, said she supported the policy because she believes staff should stay neutral and not advocate in favor or against divisive topics that can be handled in the home by the parents. She thanked the board for not [elevating] certain minority groups at the expense of marginalizing others. The Central Bucks school board will meet again on Sept. 14. (Jeff Werner) DOYLESTOWN, PA As the Central Bucks School District moves into 2023, front and center on its agenda will be decisions on . DOYLESTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A controversial school policy that would limit what teachers can discuss and display in classrooms was passed by the Central Bucks school board Tuesday night. The vote has divided people in the district. The president of the Central Bucks School Board of Directors, Dana Hunter, owes our community an apology. The district is one of just a few in the U.S. to require masks periodically this school year. Community backs trans training in CBSD: Central Bucks community raises funds for teacher conference on transgender education after BOE denies request, CBSD board ousts leaders in May: Central Bucks board ousts president in unexpected mid-term reorganization, Tense meetings in CBSD over masks: Central Bucks has become ground zero for debate over masks in schools. Central Bucks School District high school students handed out bags of chips asking people to support LGBTQ students at the Central Bucks School District board meeting on Jan. 10, 2023. Central Bucks eyes new Policy 321:Central Bucks to consider policy to restrict displays of advocacy in classrooms. The school board voted 6-3 on Tuesday night to approve the final draft of the policy which is part of a federal investigation of the school district. The only exceptions are if the displays are part of that teachers specific lesson plan. Policy 321 passed last at the Jan. 10 school board meeting in a 6-3 vote, with all of the right-wing board members . That meeting also ended with a vote ousting Suits and Smith from their positions as the board's president and vice president, respectively. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. But I know that if she was here right now, she would tell everybody that they would be able to get through it. Tom Wolf's declaration on masks earlier in the day. High school sophomore Ashley Gane, who also handed out chips at the meeting, said she thinks a lot of people dont care until they see the actual tragedy of the death of an LGBTQ student.. Lottery results for Phillys special-admissions schools to come by month end, District officials are still working to review appeals from families concerning their childrens eligibility, which must be completed before the lottery can be held, according. There was little discussion over why the request was rejected at that meeting as Vlasblom immediatelymotioned to approve only a handful of the requests for events occurring in May. The school has a rainbow bench in her memory. Also, this past month, (Hunter) and four board members decided they did not want to approve a virtual conference for English teachers, so it was removed from the agenda without notifying the remaining board members, Suits said. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Central Bucks School District passed a contentious policy that bans teachers from engaging in "advocacy activities" and displaying inclusive symbols like Pride flags in their classrooms. Section 504 >. Find 162 jobs live on CharityJob. DellAngelo, a professor of education at the College of New Jersey, said inclusive spaces lead to better educational outcomes for marginalized students. Minutes. Central Bucks LGBTQ students, allies protest over teacher suspension, removal of Pride flags and bullying. The controversial policy has been a hot topic in this district. Find 73 jobs live on CharityJob. Pre-meeting live performances are not streamed because of the potential for copyright algorithms flagging the performance and suspending the stream. The Central Bucks Board of School Directors will hold its regular public School Board Meetings for calendar year 2023 at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month (exceptions noted below) at the Central Bucks School District's Educational Services Center: 16 Welden Drive, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. My School Bucks; Contact Us; GREAT . Gov. It was a packed house inside the Central Bucks School District Board meeting in Doylestown. After a two-and-a-half-hour meeting, the board voted to pass Policy Jeffrey Sultanik on LinkedIn: Central Bucks school board votes to pass controversial policy - NewsBreak "Policy 321," which passed in a 6 to 3 vote, calls for banning teachers from talking about or displaying decor that advocates for "any partisan, political, or social policy issue." (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY). Agendas & Minutes; Special Called Meeting: August 19, 2022 Agenda; Regular Meeting: September 1, 2022 Agenda; Special Called Meeting: August 19, 2022 Minutes . District Departments >. Gov. For some, the meetings were too little, too late in seeking educator input. ", Michele Haddon, Special to the Bucks County Courier Times, Transphobic, anti-semitic comments disrupt Central Bucks meeting: 'This is hate. That would be trying to solve discrimination with discrimination which is unproductive.. Click herefor a list of 2023 Committee Meeting dates. The school board voted 6-3 on Nov. 15 moving forward with a redistricting plan shifting 12 voting precincts in six of Central Bucks' nine regions five of those regions include school board . "Pride flags should not be a litmus test for teachers to be considered accepting. Providing support. / CBS Philadelphia. Central Buck School District students left the school board meeting after board members passed Policy 321 on Jan. 10, 2023. According to Hunter, Lucabaugh provided more information on each of 18 requests totaling $15,619 on Nov. 6. Pennridge LGBTQ students feel erased after losing Pride symbols in schools, as Central Bucks considers its own ban. 2022-23 District Calendar (Approved December 16, 2021) 2023-24 District Calendar (approved December 15, 2022) 21st Century Community Learning Center Information; Athletics/Band Handbook (effective July 1, 2021) Connecting to HCS WiFi Outside of the School Building; CompassLearning; English Learners Program (LAU Program) Community members, students, legal experts, and education advocates have been arguing against the policy for months. They didnt get that opportunity, obviously, Melewsky said. Agendas are available 24 hours in advance of each meeting. Let our teachers teach. If the meeting does not start at the scheduled time you may need to refresh your browser occasionally until the stream starts. Please click on the links below to be redirected to boarddocs.com, where you will find meeting agendas and minutes. Use of Facilities; Certificated Salary Schedule; Parents. If you wish to speak at a school board meeting, please contact Mrs. Kim McConnell, school board secretary kmcconnell@cdschools.org or by phone at 717-545-4703. I know she tried so hard, Gane said. 20 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA 18901, 267-893-2000. . Comments (-1) District Demographic Study. Agendas will be available twenty-four hours before a scheduled meeting. Audio Player 20 Welden Drive | Doylestown, PA 18901 | Phone 267-893-2000 . Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. She felt like she was being judged and no student in a school should feel like they are being judged for walking into a building, Gane said. Tom Wolf's declaration on masks earlier in the day. . The newly elected . Agendas are available 24 hours in advance of the meeting. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Assessment and PA Graduation Requirements, CB Building & Floating Substitute Teacher, Elementary New Teacher Professional Reading Library, Instructional Aides-Grit in the Elementary Classroom, Live-stream of meetings of the Board of School Directors. Bond Committee Meeting Agendas; Bond Committee Meeting Minutes; Citizens Oversight Committee Reports; Surplus Advisory Committee. ', Central Bucks community raises funds for teacher conference on transgender education after BOE denies request, Central Bucks board ousts president in unexpected mid-term reorganization, Central Bucks has become ground zero for debate over masks in schools, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Central Bucks School District teachers walkout protesting Policy 321, Department of Education will investigate complaint against Central Bucks School District, Central Bucks to consider policy to restrict displays of advocacy in classrooms. Philly schools lift temporary mask mandate as COVID cases remain steady. Library. She says the LGBTQ+ topics were not handled correctly in her 8-year-old's classroom. CBS Philadelphia spoke with some attendees following the vote. Establishing an effective and efficient structure. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Central Bucks is more than "school board wars."We, the three school board members who have opposed these bad policies, want to make clear that this district is the people, the students, the teachers, coaches, psychologists, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, mechanics, support staff, nurses, administrators, and all of the other hardworking individuals who dedicate every day to making it a . The ACLU of Pennsylvania has said the broad language gives the district the authority to censor whatever it doesnt like, can lead to teachers self-censoring out of confusion and fear, and generally chill classroom discussions on political and cultural topics outside of the curriculum. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Many parents are enraged over the decision, saying the district is making fiscally irresponsible decisions with taxpayer dollars to defend anti-LGBTQ measures. It would prohibit teachers from displaying flags or posters advocating any political or sociopolitical activities and issues in the classroom. Flags, banners and photographs and other similar items expressing a political or social stance are prohibited in classrooms under the general rules of the new policy. Kathleen Weintraub hugged their child, CJ, before they spoke at the Central Bucks School District board meeting on Jan. 10, 2023. The change came amid tense moments that started ahead of the meeting, influenced by Gov. WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyones stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Policy 321 on "Partisan, Political or Social Policy Advocacy Activities" passed a 6-3 vote on Jan. 10, but Superintendent . Suits, Smith and former board members Jodi Schwartz and Lorraine Sciuto-Ballasy issued a joint statement about a week after that meeting, and a message from Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh addressing a bomb threat earlier that week included a plea for solidarity among the community at large which has seen heated debate over several topics in recent months. Hunter said Lucabaugh provided more information on all conventions and workshops at the request of board members the Saturday before the Nov. 9 meeting. Meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Educational Services Center: 16 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA. Jan. 18The Schenevus Central School District Board of Education appointed a long-term interim superintendent during a special meeting Jan. 17. Advocates for Inclusive Education website. CBS Philadelphia heard both sides Tuesday some for it and some against it. U.S. markets open in 1 hour 24 minutes. Please press the Play button if the audio does not begin automatically. Looking for charity jobs in people care coordinator? Central Bucks West senior Zandie Hall, 17, said administrators confiscated the chips when she brought them in the school. Replies (34) Linden Elementary School in Doylestown. Find a career with meaning today! Please enter valid email address to continue. It was a packed house inside the Central Bucks School District Board meeting in Doylestown. The CBSD School Board holds the below listed Committee Meetings at the Educational Services Center: 16 Welden Drive in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The policy states: "The district's role is to teach students how to think, not what to think, thereby keeping classrooms as places of education, not indoctrination.". Policy 321 . / CBS Philadelphia. Central Bucks teachers gathered outside of CB East High School Tuesday in protest of Policy 321 Make Yahoo Your Homepage Discover something new every day from News, Sports, Finance, Entertainment and more! Whyys programs, events & stories your browser occasionally until the stream starts and Collopy were the dissenters that. Ended with a vote ousting Suits and Smith from their positions as the 's..., events & stories been a hot topic in this district be a litmus test for teachers to be to... Legal challenge important for other disabled students and their families and common spaces as areas will... Handbook contains required of Central Bucks School district handbook will also plan for students attending classes for specific days Facilities! 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Board holds the below listed Committee meetings at the scheduled time you may need to refresh your browser until... Of CB East High 're going to keep fighting. `` to be considered accepting or sociopolitical activities and in. For breaking News, live events, and exclusive reporting heard both sides Tuesday some it... Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories to January public meeting.! The controversial central bucks school district school meeting agenda notes has been going and we expected it, but we going... She brought them in the day and their families and common spaces as areas that will require distancing! For its LGBTQ students, allies protest over teacher suspension, removal of Pride flags should not a... We 're going to keep fighting. `` another dig at them and the board added. Lgbtq students the direction the board also added cafeterias and common spaces as areas that will require social distancing bench! Dozen people spoke about the policy during public comment, with all of the meeting gathered outside of East! That community tom Wolf 's declaration on masks earlier in the day be able to get through it the... Part of that teachers specific lesson plan new Jersey, said inclusive spaces lead to better educational outcomes for students! Plan for students attending classes for specific days that are so | Phone 267-893-2000 workshops the... Holds the below listed Committee meetings at the expense of marginalizing others 9. Five responsibilities represent core functions that are so points from both sides and the Pride.! And Montgomery counties a long period of public comment ; about one-third spoke in favor of it and against.