A wide swath of Peoria Unified School District policies ranging from administering medication to students to crimes on school campuses are being updated.
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
A wide swath of Peoria Unified School District policies ranging from administering medication to students to crimes on school campuses are being updated.
Policies addressed so far include clarifying that proof of residency is not required for homeless students, and most recently, new language in the district’s dress code that states students may wear clothing, accessories and jewelry that display religious messages.
The PUSD governing board will consider these and the next round of policy updates, Oct. 24.
The comprehensive initiative was introduced by President Monica Ceja Martinez to make up for a six-year lag of updates, she said.
The governing board and administration have since 2018 made it a priority to review and update district policies to align to state standards, Ms. Ceja Martinez said.
The district encourages and welcomes feedback and public comment during board meetings for community members to participate in the process, she said.
“At times, students, staff, and our community bring attention to a particular policy impacting the outcomes of our district. In this situation, the board will take a hands-on approach to work with our leadership team to review the impact and make changes to be risk adverse and create the best experience for everyone,” Ms. Ceja Martinez said.
When state and federal laws change, the Arizona School Boards Association provides policy model revisions to districts so compliance may be maintained.
ASBA spokeswoman Heidi Otero said, for dress code specifically, there is nothing in the law that indicates students can’t wear religious messages, but the challenge comes when administrators misinterpret certain messages or identify a message that can or may interfere with operation of the school day and student learning.
ASBA has not received any formal questions from school districts regarding updating internal policy for dress code, she said.
“We tend to see districts update or change internal policy when certain guidelines need clearer clarification or direction when enforced, thus local control,” Ms. Otero said.
The district has been updating policy over the last few months, a process that is expected to be ongoing.
Deputy Superintendent Jason Reynolds said the dress code update will provide greater clarification.
“The new language promotes positive behavior,” he said. “It also adds language that discourages discrimination and makes clear that students may wear clothing displaying religious messages.”
The board is also considering removing policy language regarding public participation at public board meetings, which has to do with members of the community who wish to make public comments.
The language to be removed is: “Presenters are cautioned that statements or representations concerning others that convey an unjustly unfavorable impression may subject the presenter to civil action for defamation.”
Mr. Reynolds said the purpose of striking this language is to remove any conception that the district allows restrictions on speech during public participation at board meetings.
“It does not change our expectation of civility at our meetings,” he said.
Four policies are being updated to match recently approved laws at the Arizona State Legislature.
The district is updating policy to reflect legislation that now requires schools to inform parents when their child is involved in a serious crime and makes the parent of that child aware of the situation.
To reflect updated legislation, another district policy will clarify that if a supervisor reasonably believes a child abuse report has been made by the person required to make it, then the supervisor is not required to make the report.
Mr. Reynolds said this is to avoid multiple reports.
District policy will also be updated to match new legislation that requires parental consent to administer medication except in cases of emergency.
Legislators also passed a law making it a requirement to provide vision screening and testing of students. PUSD has been providing this service for quite some time, Mr. Reynolds said.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.
By 
