By AlaskaWatchman.com

The Kenai School Board is set to vote on a set of new policies aimed at expanding the district’s power to clamp down on what it deems to be instances of discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying.

At the upcoming July 12 meeting, school board members are scheduled to vote on a slew of ordinances that not only prohibit overt acts of violence, but also certain forms of speech, non-verbal actions and other behaviors that could be construed as creating a hostile or intimidating learning environment.

The board claims these policies are necessary in order to update the school district’s approach to Title IX, a 1972 federal law that protects people from sex-based discrimination in school programs that receive federal funding.

As drafted, however, the proposals reach far beyond mere sex-based discrimination to include offenses based upon marital, pregnancy and parental status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and gender expression.

The board’s plan also includes hiring an “investigator” and judge to conduct fact gathering missions and question those accused of discrimination.

The proposals come at a time when the nation’s most powerful teacher union – the National Education Association – has vowed to use public schools to propagate critical race theory and push controversial ideas regarding LGBTQ sexuality across all levels of education.

It is unclear how Kenai’s proposed policies might affect free speech in schools, classroom discussions and debates on controversial topics or the free exercise of religion. Anyone accused of violating the proposed policies, however, would be answerable to a Title IX enforcer which the board hopes to hire before the start of the upcoming school year. The coordinator would be tasked with overseeing and reviewing complaints, investigating allegations of discrimination, identifying “systematic problems,” and conducting districtwide training sessions for staff and students.

The board’s plan also includes hiring an “investigator” and judge to conduct fact gathering missions and question those accused of discrimination.

In a number of districts around the country, anti-discrimination policies have been employed to force teachers into using the preferred pronouns of students who identify as members of the opposite sex. They have also required schools to let students use bathrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex and to let boys to participate in all-girls sports programs.

At the very end of one proposed ordinance there is a token mention of free speech, stating that the policy “should not be interpreted to prohibit a reasoned and civil exchange of opinions or debate that is protected by law and Board policy.” That said, the ordinance then goes on to clarify that “conduct that does not rise to the level of harassment, intimidation and bullying may still be prohibited by other policies or rules.”

The terms bullying, cyberbullying harassment, and intimidation, encompass the following acts: taunting, name-calling, belittling, mocking or use of put-downs, demeaning humor, spreading rumors, disrespectful gestures, non-verbal threats, and other actions.

Aside from physical instances, the proposed policy also covers “social or emotional bullying,” which it acknowledges is “often harder to recognize.” This would be “encouraging others to turn against someone,” leaving them out or socially excluding them.

TAKING ACTION

  • The July 12 school board meeting will include public testimony on the above proposals. The meeting takes place at the Assembly Chambers (144 Binkley Street, Soldotna) beginning at 6 p.m. Residents can participate in person or online via Zoom. To connect by telephone (audio only), dial (877) 853-5257 (toll-free). The conference ID# is 708 024 188. When prompted for an “Attendee ID,” press #. The Zoom ID is 708 024 188. The meeting will also be broadcast live on the district’s website. Those who wish to testify on any agenda item need to sign up by contacting Lisa Gabriel at (907) 714-8836 or lgabriel@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.
  • Click here to view the agenda and packet items.

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Kenai School Board to vote on plan to punish perceived discrimination, including non-verbal

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


5 Comments

  • Jen says:

    These school board parents and grandparents are Overreaching their authority. How can you tell the difference between someone’s personality & culture characteristic vs. someone’s bad behavior.
    You can never know how someone feels about You unless you just go up to them and directly ask them you have problem about me? -Cause you keep staring at me.

    This passive behavior is a consequence grandparents, parents, and children on computer and social media too much. They can’t communicate and don’t know how to socialize around those around one another. No one taught the kids.

  • Elizabeth Henry says:

    If this wasn’t so creepy scary it would be laughable. Why would any thinking intelligent parent still have their child in that school district? The school board is nuts and heading south from there. Get your children out. Now.

  • DONN LISTON says:

    Parents are responsible for the education of their children. Training them to be afraid of spurious unenforceable laws is child abuse. There are options: GED.com

  • Mark says:

    People need to get over the idea that there’s a battle to be won on the educational front. The battle was lost a long time ago and there has been no sign of the tide turning. Suck it up, take your kids out of the public school system and get on with your life. Globohomo owns the institutions and they want your kids.
    https://youtu.be/cgmvWm4cBSM

  • Steve Peterson says:

    This is what happens when they take God and morality completely out of education and yet they still want boys and girls to be harmonious. Based on what? The relativism they propagate? So they institute more rules and more administration to force people to be nice to each other. They just can’t come to terms with the sin nature of mankind.
    I’m not saying there shouldn’t be rules to keep people from abusing each other, but I am saying that when you squeeze a balloon in one place, it pops out in another. They will never end bullying and exclusion by any number of rules they institute.
    When I was in Jr. High and High School I was bullied and did some bullying myself. But even then I realized that no amount of rules could stop human nature, which is basically selfish and cruel unless redeemed by God.