On Tuesday, the Camden Fairview District School Board met to discuss new business as well as the approval of new budgets and guidelines for every school going into the 2022-2023 school year. Among the new guidelines being changed were for the handbooks of the middle and high schools.
One of the biggest changes going into the school year was the removal of zero tolerance for fighting. The new proposal for addresses that students have the right to defend themselves if they have no other option to avoid confrontation.
The new proposal included in the updated guidelines of the elementary, middle school and high school states, "a student has the right to defend him/herself without being suspended, provided the student is the target of a physical attack that he/she did not provoke and provided that the student used every means possible to avoid a conflict. The principal or their designee shall make the final determination on the claim of defense and if it falls within the scope of the CFSD Student Handbook."
In the past, the school district labels fighting as if a punch is thrown. As a result of a fight, both parties are guilty as a part of the zero tolerance policy.
CFSD superintendent Johnny Embry breaks down the new policy of self-defense as if a student is in a defensive position and no option to avoid the situation, but to defend themselves. The administration will look to the evidence available to determine if discipline will be needed.
School board member William McCoy addressed this new policy, "this is a welcomed change because I think we had an overkill. You've had so many students provoking others and the child tried to defend themselves then we send them home. I could never agree with that."
Embry addressed that there have been uncomfortable conversations with parents with the zero tolerance policy despite times there was a definitive aggressor.
He also clarified that just because there will be more lenience to self-defense, the discipline will have to be determined by the administrator of the schools. The principals or assistant principals are now tasked to investigate and determine if there is any indication of a targeted student cannot avoid confrontation.
Embry was asked if video cameras led to changing the zero tolerance policy by members of the board. He indicated that more cameras that have been installed will play a significant factor in investigating a fight and potential targeting.
The self-defense policy, along with the other new or updated policies, were passed unanimously to be included in the school handbooks.