Modesto City Schools board advances first readings on safety, bullying and tech policies after debates over parental notice, AI and medicinal cannabis

The Modesto City Schools Board of Education on Saturday advanced first readings of a broad set of revised board policies, approving cleanup and updated language on safety, attendance, bullying, discipline, medication administration and the district technology plan after several trustees and student representatives pressed for clarifications.

The board considered BP0450, the district’s comprehensive safety plan, which Mr. Hurst said largely codifies existing site practices. Trustee Marks urged the board to retain mandatory language — specifically restoring “shall” where the draft had used a softer term — for portions that refer to tactical responses and interactions with law enforcement, saying those details must remain internal to protect safety. The board approved the first reading and Marks said she would restore the stronger wording before final adoption.

The board also approved the first reading of BP5113.1, which updates the district’s approach to chronic absenteeism. Trustees asked the policy to explicitly require collaboration with parents and guardians when designing interventions; staff noted that related administrative regulations already describe recommended school and community supports, and said district practice emphasizes restorative, family-centered outreach.

Trustees spent the longest portion of debate on BP5131.2, the district’s bullying policy. Trustee Mestas called for explicit cyberbullying language and asked the policy to reference emerging harms tied to AI — including deepfakes — saying those forms of harassment already affect students. Vice President Daly cautioned against language that could be read to equate ordinary differences of opinion with bullying, and urged careful limits so that students still may express viewpoints respectfully. Student board representatives described peer-group and “micro‑bullying” dynamics among friends and asked for guidance for staff and students on how to handle AI‑generated content in assignments and school publicity. The board agreed to add and/or refine language about cyberbullying and AI in the administrative regulations and approved the first reading; Vice President Daly recorded a dissenting vote on the final voice vote.

BP5141.21, on administering medication and monitoring health conditions, prompted a focused exchange about permissive language for medicinal cannabis. Vice President Daly said she would not support language that broadly permits medicinal cannabis on campus; other trustees and staff noted that the practice is rare and typically tied to students with severe disabilities or seizure disorders and that federal and state rules constrain what districts can require. The board approved the first reading with direction to refine the cannabis provisions so administration would be limited to treatments documented in a student’s IEP or Section 504 plan.

On the district technology plan (BP0440), Mr. Rich said policies were updated for current best practices and to add AI language. Student representatives raised concerns about AI tools used to produce art, music or promotional flyers, and asked that the district clarify academic‑honesty rules and whether AI‑generated submissions are permitted or must be disclosed. Trustees and staff agreed that implementation details belong in administrative regulations and teacher guidance; they also suggested student representation on any advisory committee that writes implementation rules.

Votes at a glance
- BP0450 (Comprehensive safety plan): first reading approved (motion carries). Trustee Marks advocated restoring mandatory wording on tactical-response language.
- BP5113.1 (Attendance and chronic absenteeism): first reading approved; trustees directed stronger parental-collaboration language.
- BP5131.2 (Bullying): first reading approved; trustees instructed staff to add clearer cyberbullying/AI language in ARs (recorded dissent by Vice President Daly).
- BP5141.21 (Administering medication): first reading approved with change to limit medicinal-cannabis administration to IEP/504 contexts (Vice President Daly opposed the motion).
- BP5144 (Discipline) and BP5144.1 (Suspension/Expulsion): first readings approved; policies now reflect state limitations on restricting elementary recess and clarify off‑campus conduct that materially affects school.
- BP0440 (District technology plan): first reading approved; staff to draft ARs addressing AI use, academic honesty and advisory membership.

Why it matters
The first-reading approvals move a large slate of required and recommended updates forward. Several items clarify what staff must do (for example, explicitly involving parents in attendance interventions and limiting campus‑administered cannabis to documented medical plans), while others — including the bullying and technology policies — will require follow‑up administrative regulations to translate policy language into specific classroom and campus practices. Student reps successfully raised questions about AI in coursework and district communications; trustees signaled they want tighter implementation guidance rather than policy-level bans.

What’s next
Most items approved today were advanced as first readings; trustees asked staff to return with revised language and administrative regulations where indicated before second readings and final votes. For the BP5141.21 medicinal‑cannabis language, trustees specifically asked that any allowance be framed strictly within IEP or Section 504 team determinations. The board also asked for clearer links between adopted instructional materials and California curriculum frameworks when relevant.