Coeur d’Alene trustees got into the nitty gritty this week of how to implement an anti-bullying policy focused on preventing race, gender and other types of what they call bias-based disrespectful conduct.

The policy is the result of more than a year and a half of work by the Safe and Welcoming Schools Task Force created by the district after several reports of racist slurs used in schools and more visible incidents in the community. Members of the task force presented on the procedure to implement the new policy at a school board workshop Monday evening.

Trent Derrick, executive director of secondary education, told trustees that parents have been frustrated for years over continued use of slurs and other biased language used toward their children.

Families raised concerns of “how many times does my child have to hear this before something changes?” Derrick told trustees.

How we got here

There were a handful of racial slurs and hazing incidents in Coeur d’Alene Public Schools, Derrick said, around the same time as incidents in the community.

In March of 2024, members of the University of Utah Women’s Basketball team reported a group of people yelled slurs, waved confederate flags and revved their truck engines at them.

Weeks later, in May 2024, a group of Coeur d’Alene Tribal School students on a field trip said they were racially harassed by a group of men who told them to “go back” to the reservation as they imitated feathers behind their heads.

All the incidents combined  prompted the district to assemble a workgroup to create a district policy and procedure for bias-related incidents.

What is bias-based disrespectful conduct?

The procedure defines bias-based disrespectful conduct as “any singular expression, conduct, or speech that has the effect of intimidating, degrading, or threatening a person or group due to their identity and personal characteristics.”

It differs from general disrespectful conduct because the behavior is tied to bias toward an individual or group based on characteristics that “cannot be changed,” like race, color, sex, age, gender identity, religion, disability, or nationality, the procedure reads.

The policy clarifies that disrespectful behavior like general name-calling or conflict based on personal disagreement may still violate the student code of conduct, but wouldn’t fall under bias-based disrespectful conduct.

The school principal, under the new rules, will investigate any allegations and take appropriate disciplinary action. The parent of the student under investigation, along with the parent of the impacted student, will be notified and receive support.

The student under investigation will receive educational support and resources to understand how their behavior was harmful.

Trustees unanimously approved the policy last month, but Board Chair Lesli Bjerke raised concerns over the vagueness of the language in the policy. Those concerns were shared by patrons who commented on the policy. 

Definitions were then added to the procedure, which is a guide for staff on how to apply the policy, ahead of Monday’s meeting.

Safe and Welcoming Schools Task Force

The task force was formed in the fall of 2024 after conversations between Trustee Jimmy McAndrews, Rep. Jordan Redman, and Derrick.

There was concern, Derrick said, about implementing a policy related to bias at a time when Idaho lawmakers were cracking down on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies and instruction in schools.

The group ultimately included parents, educators, Chief J.Allan and Tyrel Stevenson from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, and Kitara Johnson Jones, who helps Inland Northwest organizations with diversity programs.

The group discussed the difference between providing extra resources to certain groups versus making sure everyone felt safe in the school environment, Derrick said.

DEI isn’t something the district wanted to put out there, but they wanted to make sure students felt safe at school, he said.

The group mixed the district’s previous policy with a model policy from the Idaho School Boards Association and consulted their attorneys.

The current policy called these incidents “hate crimes” or “hate speech,” but that language wasn’t rooted in Idaho code, Derrick said.

“That’s such loaded language,”  Derick said. “We felt like that’s just not who we are, we’re not a punitive system, we’re an education system.”

Instead, the task force settled on “bias-based” as a descriptor for prejudiced conduct. The goal is to educate students on why that conduct is wrong while also holding them accountable, Derrick said.

Christie Peetoom, a parent on the task force, said the dual approach hopefully will create a better school culture.

The group wanted to add support for students who were harmed by bias-related incidents.

The previous policy was not as clear about the different types of incidents that students could be investigated for and the process, said Melodie Viafranco, a parent on the task force. The new policy spells all of that out, she said.

“When something happens, a parent doesn’t have to wonder how their child is going to be supported, or how a child might need to be guided in his or her actions,” she said. ” It’s gonna really help parents have that clarity so they are certain that their kids are safe and thriving at the schools.”

All students are held to the same standard, he added. For example, use of the n-word isn’t appropriate for school, Derrick said, regardless of who says it or the context.

“We’re not trying to change their belief system,” Derrick said. “We’re talking about what’s appropriate in the shared space of school.”

Task force members recently presented the new policy and procedure to kids on the Student Advisory Group and were met with positive reactions, said Lisa Aiken, trustee.

The students say bullying is a huge issue in their schools and want school leaders to address the issue more directly, Aiken and McAndrews said.

The next step is training staff on the policy and ensuring consistency across schools, Derrick said. Trustee Rick Rasmussen encouraged staff to be hard on students at first, setting the tone for a zero-tolerance policy.

Chair Bjerke asked the task force, which will continue meeting on a monthly-basis to look at data to determine the policy’s effectiveness and bring it back to the board.