Abortion, restraint policies approved by Lakeland school board
From left, Lakeland Joint School District Trustees David Quimby, Randi Bain, Bob Jones and Vice Chair Ramona Grissom approve district policies for restraint and health Monday at the District Office.
JOSA SNOW/Press
School policy in the Lakeland Joint district now mirrors Idaho abortion law that prohibits spending public funds on providing access to abortions.
Trustees approved a revision Monday to the health policy that adds prohibiting district employees from providing transportation to or from an abortion service provider; performing an abortion; abortion counseling; or referrals for an abortion.
“There was language that was added for transparency with the legislation,” Board Chair Michelle Thompson said.
District policy 3500 is modeled after Idaho Code 18-8701, or the "No Public Funds for Abortion Act."
There was no discussion about the policy before it was passed, 4 to 1, with Trustee Bob Jones voting against.
Also approved Monday, with Jones dissenting, was district policy 3543, which outlines use of restraint on campuses.
The restraint policy prohibits staff from restraining any student unless they are a danger to themselves or another student.
“Restraint and seclusion shall not be used as forms of discipline or methods of classroom governance,” according to the policy draft. “Chemical restraint shall not be used for any purpose.”
If a physical restraint is used, personnel must have training in de-escalation, crisis intervention and behavior intervention, according to the policy.
If an incident requires staff to restrain a student, evidence would be gathered and maintained and the incident would be reported to the principal and District Superintendent Lisa Arnold.
The restraint policy was modeled using Idaho Code 33-1224, the powers and duties of teachers, and Idaho Code 39-5302, the adult abuse and exploitation act.
“The law specifically says the moment the imminent danger is no longer at play you are supposed to cease and desist restraint or seclusion,” Assistant Superintendent Lynn Paslay said.
If a student is a danger to themselves or others, the policy allows for personnel to isolate the student until they can be calmed down.
In rare circumstances, students may be placed in a low-stimulation calming room to help them to overcome an emotional breakdown or episode.
“They might go in really amped up where they’re kicking a wall or screaming trying to get all of the emotions out of their little bodies that are overwhelming them,” Superintendent Arnold said. “Then sometimes there are tears. It’s just sometimes it takes them a while to get their bodies regulated again to go back to class.”
If a student is restrained or placed in a calming room for isolation, the school staff would have to call a parent or guardian to tell them immediately. Parents who attended the policy committee meeting when the policy was written had concerns that a student might spend too long in isolation or restraint.
“The committee had a conversation about the fact that there really should be a time limit,” Board Chair Michelle Thompson said. “If a kiddo is in a room for an extended period of time, a parent would be called because, ultimately, that parent should know what’s going on with their student.”
A parent can provide guidance over the phone about how to move forward and can decide to come to the campus or not when they’re called.
“I would much rather err on the fact of notifying the parent too early for the parent to give direction to the staff than for the staff to assert their own judgment over a situation that really needs parent involvement,” Thompson said.