And I know she would be at this board meeting because she wants people to be happy and she wants people to be proud.. Pennridge LGBTQ students feel erased after losing Pride symbols in schools, as Central Bucks considers its own ban. LGBTQ+ students in the Central Bucks School District gathered on Tuesday to give emotional testimonies against the passing of "Policy 321," which bans any display related to politics, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation in the district's schools. They made a decision on whether or not to put this controversial issue on the agenda … Maybe the teachers wanted to weigh in, maybe the parents wanted to weigh in. 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. First published on August 31, 2021 / 11:39 PM. Agendas are available 24 hours in advance of each meeting. Some students also shared the chips with their classmates before school on Tuesday, in an attempt to inform others about the policy in advance of the meeting. Curriculum Committee. 7:00 PM Finance Committee Meeting. Dates for the meetings were not . Monday, December 4, 2023 (first Monday of . (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY). CB South Parent Advisory Council Meeting, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM "I'm concerned as a community member. Central Bucks School District teachers walk out of meetings over new policy. 1 min read. Policy 321is a 2018 policy restricting Central Bucks County School District employees from participating in political activities while on the clock. Central Bucks educators, students, and parents rallied outside the administrations meeting about a policy that bans Pride flags and other inclusive classroom decor. . Please click on the links below to be redirected to boarddocs.com, where you will find meeting agendas and minutes. Pre-meeting live performances are not streamed because of the potential for copyright algorithms flagging the performance and suspending the stream. Central Bucks LGBTQ students, allies protest over teacher suspension, removal of Pride flags and bullying. Print Close. DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) The Central Bucks School District on Tuesday approved a revision to a controversial policy that prevents teachers from displaying specific items in their classrooms. BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A day after students returned to school in Central Bucks School District, the school board will have to adjust its school return plan to include mandatory masking. Comments (-1) District Demographic Study. 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 . DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- The Central Bucks school board voted in favor of a rule that limits what teachers can display in the classroom on Tuesday night. Central Buck School District students left the school board meeting after board members passed Policy 321 on Jan. 10, 2023. Download the CBSD Alexa Skill. Infinite Campus for Parents; MAP: Matey After-school Program; Transportation; Lunch Payment / My School Bucks; Volunteer Form; Enterovirus; Emergency Procedures; Teacher Sites. Gov. Gane said she has been speaking at board meetings to give her sister a voice. "I'm concerned as a parent," Heather Reynolds said. She says the LGBTQ+ topics were not handled correctly in her 8-year-old's classroom. At all regular meetings of the Board, a maximum period of thirty (30) minutes shall be set aside for questions or comments from interested citizens. Aziza Shuler is an Emmy award-winning journalist. 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. A motion to approve several requests for multiple trainings failed in a 5-4 vote against, with Hunter joining Ballasy, Leigh Vlasblom, Dan Ring and Sharon Collopy in the majority. CB West West Wing Band Concert, 9:00 AM The hotline is staffed 24/7 by trained counselors who can offer free, confidential support. Board President Dana Hunter, Vice President Leigh Vlasblom, and members Debra Cannon, Lisa Sciscio, Sharon Collopy, and Jim Pepper voted for the policy. Correspondence for the Board of School Directors should be sent to Stephanie Radcliffe, Secretary to the Board, at sradcliffe@cbsd.org. Here's what's changed. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. To do so is to suggest any teacher that doesn't have a pride flag would accept you less," said Mara Witsen of Chalfont. She truly believes everyone has a story, and she's most passionate about giving a voice to the underdogs, forgotten, and overlooked people in our communities. 20 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA 18901, 267-893-2000. . 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. These middle school teachers requests had been approved by the administration. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. ', 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. . The issue became known at the Dec. 6 reorganization meeting, when Suits chastised Hunter and at least four other current and previous board members over a delayed response condemning transphobic and anti-Semitic comments made at the prior month's public session. Check back for more on this developing story. The "Central Bucks Board Note," is an e-newsletter designed to provide Central Bucks School District constituents with an overview of the work of their Board of School Directors. Boards fulfill this role by performing five major responsibilities: Setting direction. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. Establishing an effective and efficient structure. The board voted 7-2 on May 26 approving the transgender education training after a three-hour meeting that saw lengthy public comment from parents, taxpayers and even students supporting the training. Like with the May decision, one of the teachers who asked to go to theNCTE convention posted on Twitter that an "anonymous donor" covered attendance costs for her and a coworker. Creating inclusive spaces in part means that students see themselves and one another reflected in positive ways in books, materials, displays, etc. Our suburban reporters want to hear from you! And were not offended that people are laughing, were happy that they are, because that means theyre paying attention, theyre reading it, said Central Bucks South sophomore Skylar Ginsburg. DOYLESTOWN, PA The Central Bucks School Board will vote Tuesday on a controversial policy that board leaders say is about bringing neutrality and balance to the classroom. Central Bucks school district. "I just think the school needed direct guidance on how to handle this conversation, and the district didn't have this policy in place so they didn't handle it correctly," said Barnhart. August 31, 2021 / 11:39 PM 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Students deserve the freedom to learn, and a QR code linking to the Advocates for Inclusive Education website. December CBSD Board Note Newsletter. Have an Amazon Alexa? CBS Philadelphia heard both sides Tuesday some for it and some against it. Emily Rizzo is WHYY News suburban reporter covering Bucks and Montgomery counties. Central Bucks school board votes passes controversial policy. Meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Educational Services Center: 16 Welden Drive, Doylestown, PA. This policy is a roadblock to that progress. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. 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 change came amid tense moments that started ahead of the meeting, influenced by Gov. Please enter valid email address to continue. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Please enter valid email address to continue. Central Bucks hires former U.S. Attorney McSwain to investigate ACLUs allegation of anti-LGBTQ discrimination. Suits said the comments came far too late, saying the immediate silence over those comments underscored the decision to cut the new convention requests. Find a career with meaning today! Policy 321 . WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. According to Hunter, Lucabaugh provided more information on each of 18 requests totaling $15,619 on Nov. 6. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Use of Facilities; Certificated Salary Schedule; Parents. Stress impairs cognitive function. 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. Library. The board voted on May 11 to table a $1,000 request to enroll in a transgender and gender non-conforming youth education training over the summer, an action some called a thinly veiled act of transphobia by some in the district. "If you agree with me that queer students need to be supported you will vote no on this policy," said student Leo Burchell during the meeting. 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. Ballasy, Suits and Schwartz did not run for re-election this year and Ring lost his seat to Tabitha Dell'Angelo in the Nov. 2 election. 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. Its how we live. Ask us a question or send an idea for a story you think we should cover. My School Bucks; Contact Us; GREAT . The board also added cafeterias and common spaces as areas that will require social distancing. Please give today. Some teachers say they were boycotting a planned meeting between the district superintendent and school . Find 162 jobs live on CharityJob. "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." The district is one of just a few in the U.S. to require masks periodically this school year. "Pride flags should not be a litmus test for teachers to be considered accepting. "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. . Officials hired the firm in November to defend the district against a federal LGBTQ discrimination complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of several students. Frazer was a sexual reference and kuhlmier was a school newspaper that didn't meet public thresholds and was part of a journalism class. The CBSD School Board holds the below listed Committee Meetings at the Educational Services Center: 16 Welden Drive in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Assessment and PA Graduation Requirements, CB Building & Floating Substitute Teacher, Elementary New Teacher Professional Reading Library, Instructional Aides-Grit in the Elementary Classroom, Please click on the links below to be redirected to. Select the Committee from the dropdown located in the upper right corner of the BoardDocs homepage. Click herefor a list of 2023 Committee Meeting dates. The Sunshine Act requires any agency of elected officials, like a school board, to deliberate and take official action on agency business in an open and public meeting, according to Pennsylvanias Office of Open Records website. 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