KAILUA-KONA — Two meetings will be held during November on Hawaii Island to solicit public feedback on proposed updates to the department’s student misconduct and discipline code and procedures for student complaints about adults.
The first session is 5-7 p.m. Nov. 14 at Hilo High School, 556 Waianuenue Avenue, in Hilo. The second is 5-7 p.m. Nov. 29 at Kealakehe High School, 74-5000 Puohulihuli St., in Kailua-Kona.
Those interested in attending either community engagement sessions, which the department called a group discussion alongside other community advocates and parents, must RSVP no later than Oct. 26 online at www.hawaiipublicschools.org.
Chapter 19, which is part of Hawaii Administrative Rules, was last revised in 2009 to establish a proactive student discipline system that emphasizes positive behavioral interventions and supports.
One revision would make bullying/harassment and cyberbullying for intermediate and high school students a Class A offense — the most serious category of prohibited conduct that also includes assault, fighting and possession or use of dangerous weapons. Those are currently Class B offenses for all students, according to the Department of Education.
The definition of bullying would be combined with harassment and revised to mean any student-to-student written, verbal, graphic or physical act that hurts, harms, or humiliates another student physically or emotionally, and is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive or creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for the other student.
Protected classes, as defined in the proposed revisions, include race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, physical appearance and characteristics, and socio-economic status.
The rules are being updated in part to satisfy requirements of a resolution agreement reached late last year between DOE and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The proposed updates can be found online at www.hawaiipublicschools.org.