Board reviews first read of updated student Code of Conduct, including search language and AI use

The Brandywine School District board heard a first reading of extensive updates to the district's Student Code of Conduct, a multi‑stakeholder committee reported.

Committee representatives, including Clarence Smith and Dr. Hyland, said revisions reflect state regulatory changes, recent litigation guidance and stakeholder feedback. The updates would add explicit coverage of behavior at bus stops, clarity on consequences that are responsive to students' needs, and restorative practices tied to MTSS.

A significant discussion centered on the so‑called "wall language" drawn from a legal settlement affecting searches of students. Presenters said the revised language aims to protect student rights while allowing school staff to act without delay when there is an immediate threat.

"If we have reasonable suspicion, then we are permitted to move forward," presenters said, while also noting that when there is no immediate danger, parents would be offered the opportunity to be present for a search that involves a student's person or personal belongings.

Board members pushed for greater clarity about what counts as a "search" (person, backpack, locker or other belongings), how administrators should notify students of the right to object, and whether the draft's phrasing should use "health or safety" rather than "health and safety" to capture a broader set of incidents such as vaping.

Committee members said the document also incorporates updates required by state action: language on multi‑tiered systems of support, protections for students with disabilities, and an anticipated addition to address Senate Bill 106 (student cell phone use) after the state work is finished. The draft is a first read; the committee plans to return to the board for final approval on May 18.