The group representing parents in School District 43 hopes the new year brings a change of heart on a proposed parent code of conduct.
The District Parent Advisory Council says policy 22 isn’t needed because there are already policies and laws in place to prevent conflict in schools, and it is calling on SD43 to scrap the initiative. And DPAC wants the district to do more to engage parents on issues of concern.
Introduced in early November, policy 22 lays out goals that parents should aspire to, admonishments not to “threaten, harass, bully, intimidate or assault, in any way, any person within the school community,” and penalties for breaches including a no-trespass order.
“It’s more about engagement over enforcement,” said Craig Woods, president of DPAC, who said parents met several times to draft a response to a notice of motion made at a recent board of education meeting.
“What I’m hoping is the board will take this into consideration carefully and it will move the needle on this from something that they’re are proud of to seeing the potential unintended consequences and will put into effect the progressive efforts they are trying to work toward,” Woods said.
For example, DPAC would like the district to reach out to parents at the beginning of the year for helpful suggestions on the best ways for approaching teachers, administrators, the board and the district office rather than a policy that lays out procedures for when issues get out of hand.
Woods said it’s not just parents who might create trouble at a school; it could be disgruntled former students or other people and, yet, the policy singles out parents.
“We hope at the very least at [an upcoming] meeting it’s on the agenda. At the very least, it allows us to speak to the work we’ve done,” Woods said.
Reno Ciolfi, an assistant superintendent with SD43, responded to a Tri-City News query with an email stating the policy would be discussed at a meeting in the New Year.
“I will present information collected through the consultation process at that time. I will continue the consultation process until the board meeting. There are three possible outcomes: The policy is approved by the board, not approved or sent back to staff for revisions.”
• DPAC’s recommendations to SD43 are available at dpac43.ca.
