DeSoto ISD school board approves changes to district code of conduct

by Jill Quarles of DeSoto TODAY

DeSoto Independent School District boardmembers debated minor code of conduct changes at their April 27 meeting.

Assistant Superintendent Levatta Levels called the changes she and other disciplinary committee members desired “minor adjustments” and said they primarily involved modifying wording, not enacting new policy.

“We were striving to make all the rules and procedures more consistent,” Levels said, reminding boardmembers of several instances in which parents', students' or staff members' confusion regarding a rule's wording had caused “unnecessary issues.”

While boardmembers unanimously agreed with changes in the definition of “persistent misbehavior” and with a clarification between a “disciplinary conference” and “disciplinary hearing,” they reached points of contention when discussing both the grooming code and prohibited electronic devices policy.

Levels and her committee asked the board to modify grooming guidelines to specify that only “natural hair colors” are acceptable for students. According to the 2008-2009 Student Handbook, colors that are “extreme or distracting” are prohibited.

Levels said because of the code's vague wording, parents and students have been confused, and it has been difficult for administrators and teachers to enforce policy.

Rhonda Lemons was the only boardmember to oppose the proposal, saying the change would “just cause drama.” She suggested listing specifically prohibited colors, saying it could make enforcement more consistent.

Although hair color debate continued for more than 30 minutes, no other boardmembers expressed concern.

Some did address the prohibited electronic devices policy, which forbids students from using cellular phones during the “instructional day,” defined as the period beginning 15 minutes before the first school bell and ending with the dismissal bell.

Board President Donald Gant said the devices have been “misused and abused” recently, and wondered if certain incidents called for a policy reexamination.

In discussion, boardmembers referred to the previous week's seminar regarding inappropriate technology use within the district, as well as claims from a parent who addressed the board, alleging, among other things, that a school security guard had sent inappropriate text messages to her daughter inside and outside of school.

“I don't think we need to change the policy,” Boardmember Kenzie Moore said. “We just need to enforce it. We have a no tolerance policy, so let's use it.”

Although Superintendent Lloyd Treadwell recommended that administrators and teachers “meet the kids where they are” and embrace their reliance on technology, Moore and Boardmember Dee Trimble acknowledged that ideally, this could be a solution, but said although, as Treadwell expressed, the district isn't “taking full advantage of technology,” available resources allow no alternative to the no tolerance policy.

The board voted to approve all changes. Lemons' was the only opposed vote.

Boardmembers also dedicated the first half of their meeting to recognition and celebration of the boys' and girls' basketball teams, winter guard, tennis team and district spelling bee winners. In addition, they praised student and staff participation at the basketball and SOAR banquets and the traveling Vietnam Wall Tribute and invited audience members to participate in the upcoming school board election and in the graduation celebrations and ceremony.