Updated July 14 with information from the board’s draft policy on human sexuality instruction.
Bonneville School District trustees discussed policies that ran the gamut from classroom flags to human sexuality instruction to cellphones at their regular meeting Wednesday. And they considered, but ultimately decided against, co-sponsoring a resolution calling for requiring kindergarten students to be potty trained before starting school.
With little discussion, trustees unanimously approved a new classroom flags policy, which closely mirrors language in a new law that restricts which flags and banners can be displayed in schools.
Trustees also discussed a proposed policy on human sexuality instruction, and advanced a proposed cellphone policy for public review.
School leaders’ discussion regarding the proposed human sexuality policy highlighted the difficulties of navigating broad language in House Bill 239. The law requires schools to obtain parental consent before instruction on human sexuality, which includes sexual conduct, sexual intimacy and sexual attraction.
That could complicate teaching even classic texts, like William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” said Jason Lords, the district’s director of instruction and learning, since the titular characters express a sexual attraction toward each other.
The district’s proposed human sexuality policy is in its early stages, and is not yet available for public review. Board clerk Samantha Williams declined to provide a copy of the draft policy without a formal public records request. EdNews submitted a request Thursday, and received the draft policy Monday.
The policy calls for a “philosophy of abstinence” to be the “underlying principle in all sex education instruction.” But instruction will also align with health and science standards and include awareness of AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, birth control and “general human sexuality.” District employees are also prohibited from counseling students in favor of an abortion, as required by Idaho law.
Instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation can only occur in grades 7-12, and then only if teachers, their “content area team” and principal determine it to be appropriate for students, and parents are notified two weeks ahead of time and provide their permission, according to the draft policy.
Trustees’ proposed cellphone policy would ban devices for students in grades K-6, and allow them at teachers’ discretion for students in grades 7-12. The policy would be less restrictive than in other districts, like nearby Pocatello-Chubbuck, which recently passed a policy banning cellphones during the school day for students in all grades, with a few exceptions.
Bonneville’s proposed cellphone policy is available for public review.
Bonneville’s proposed new cellphone policy: Get the details
The policy would differentiate restrictions by grade level:
- K-6 students: Use of cellphones and electronic devices would be prohibited during school hours, but they could be silenced and stored out of sight.
- 7-12 students: Use of cellphones and electronic devices would be determined by the teacher, and communicated with signs displaying a green light (allowed for educational purposes), yellow light (limited use allowed) or red light (not allowed).
Trustees decide against sponsoring potty-training resolution
Trustees also discussed co-sponsoring a resolution to require kindergarten students to be potty trained before starting school.
The Idaho School Boards Association resolution process
Each year, school districts have the opportunity to sponsor one or more resolutions to be considered at an annual conference for school trustees. If attending members of the Idaho School Boards Association conference accept a resolution, it becomes part of the organization’s platform. The platform determines how the nonprofit’s team of advocates will focus their energy as they work with politicians, state education leaders and stakeholders to develop, support or oppose bills on districts’ behalf.
Another school district approached Bonneville about co-sponsoring the resolution, which was intended to help send a message to parents about the importance of potty training their children before kindergarten, Lords said.
“We’re starting to see that kids are just coming to school with diapers,” Lords said.
Trustee Richard Hess shared concerns that some students who are not toilet trained could be in foster care or come from vulnerable backgrounds, and denying their education would be inappropriate.
The board considered adding language to the resolution to account for those concerns, but ultimately voted to withhold its sponsorship.
