POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Powhatan County School Board approved policy changes aimed at addressing racism and other forms of hate speech within county schools Tuesday night.
At a scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 18, the school board approved proposed policy changes relating to student conduct, including how hate speech is defined and how hate speech is to be disciplined.
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Community members have been outspoken about discrimination in the school division for quite some time. This most recent push followed an incident where a slur for Black people was written on a Powhatan High School student’s arm.
With these new changes to school policy, hate speech in middle and high schools will be automatically be considered a Level 5 offense, of a five-tier scale that evaluates student conduct.
The discipline for such discriminatory behavior would now include talks with the superintendent and other disciplinary action such as long-term suspension, alternative placement or expulsion.
The Powhatan County branch of the NAACP previously spoke out advocating for such policy changes.
8News attended the Tuesday night meeting and will provide more details on the reception to these new policies when possible.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
POWHATAN COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Powhatan County School Board approved policy changes aimed at addressing racism and other forms of hate speech within county schools Tuesday night.
At a scheduled meeting on Tuesday, June 18, the school board approved proposed policy changes relating to student conduct, including how hate speech is defined and how hate speech is to be disciplined.
Community members have been outspoken about discrimination in the school division for quite some time. This most recent push followed an incident where a slur for Black people was written on a Powhatan High School student’s arm.
With these new changes to school policy, hate speech in middle and high schools will be automatically be considered a Level 5 offense, of a five-tier scale that evaluates student conduct.
The discipline for such discriminatory behavior would now include talks with the superintendent and other disciplinary action such as long-term suspension, alternative placement or expulsion.
The Powhatan County branch of the NAACP previously spoke out advocating for such policy changes.
8News attended the Tuesday night meeting and will provide more details on the reception to these new policies when possible.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.