Civility, respect key to new school employee plan.
By: Lea Kahn
The Lawrence Township Board of Education on Dec. 10 introduced a policy that requires all school district employees to treat one another with respect and civility.
The policy, which will be placed on a subsequent school board agenda for a public hearing and final action, grew out of a report prepared by the school board’s subcommittee on special education.
"The school board wanted to be clear about how the staff is to be treated," Schools Superintendent Max Riley said. "The board wanted to say, ‘Keep the talk at a civil level.’
The subcommittee was formed in November 2002, after parents repeatedly approached the school board about the deteriorating conditions in the special education program.
About half of the Child Study Team members left between the 2001-02 and 2002-03 school years. The CST includes school psychologists, learning consultants and social workers who determine whether a student needs the extra help that is provided through the special education program.
The subcommittee’s report, which was released in May 2003, recommended that the administration should develop a policy that is aimed at achieving and maintaining a professional school and work environment.
There had been some acrimony within the staff over the CST members who left the district, and also conflict between the CST members and their two supervisors, Dr. Riley said.
And there has been much stress within the school district over the state’s monitoring of the special education program, Dr. Riley said. State Department of Education officials are reviewing the special education programs in school districts statewide.
"The school board’s thinking is, this policy is an expression of what we expect of people that we can put on the record," Dr. Riley said. "I think this policy is a reasonable way to proceed."