The exclusion of a Jackson Elementary kindergarten special
education student from an end-of-the-year promotion ceremony in
June prompted the Morgan Hill School Board to re-evaluate its
policy on such occasions.
The exclusion of a Jackson Elementary kindergarten special education student from an end-of-the-year promotion ceremony in June prompted the Morgan Hill School Board to re-evaluate its policy on such occasions.
During their Oct. 20 meeting, trustees approved a districtwide policy in a 7-0 vote. Prior to its approval, individual schools would determine which grades would have ceremonies and what kind of ceremonies were held.
“Please institutionalize that Morgan Hill Unified does not discriminate,” Jackson parent Vera Todorov said to the board. Todorov’s son is one of the special education students not allowed to participate in the promotion ceremony.
Todorov and the student’s father, John Dorrance, attended a School Board meeting in July to request that a policy be developed. A group of parents, teachers, principals and the education director of Parents Helping Parents reviewed a draft policy on Sept. 15.
On Sept. 24, the board policy committee met with Todorov, Dorrance, parent Lisa McNulty, Barrett Principal Lisa Atlas, Assistant Superintendent Claudette Beaty and Superintendent Carolyn McKennan. The policy was reviewed by the entire board during the Oct. 6 meeting.
The approved policy states:
“In order to promote a supportive educational environment for all students, all K-8 end-of-year observances shall be free from discrimination. This policy is to insure consistency and sensitivity to the educational needs of all students and to provide direction to school administrators and staff.”
“The conduct of all K-8 end-of-year observances is not mandatory but must be conducted in compliance with this policy. Any such end-of-year observances shall include all students in the same grade level or age group at the school in order to prevent individual classes or groups of classes from arranging activities that exclude or discriminate against any students from the end-of-year activity.”
The policy was adopted by the board with the addition of a condition suggested by Todorov and added by Trustee Shellé Thomas: that any K-8 end-of-year ceremonies be pre-approved by the site principal.
Todorov had also recommended that training on non-discrimination and inclusion of handicapped students also be a part of the solution.
“I believe periodic anti-discrimination training is a necessity,” she said. “What horrified me was to hear from an administrator that ‘The last time I had training was 20 years ago.’ I would like to see a level of accountability.”
McKennan said the district has already arranged for the principal training. The director of the Southeast Consortium of SELPA (Special Education Local Planning Area), Kate Parnes, will be in Morgan Hill to hold a training session today.
