POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 2
Legal Entanglement Project: Part 3 – Policies and Procedures
Background and Root Causes
The Killeen Independent School District (KISD) is located in Central Texas, serving a
population in Central Texas of approximately 45,974 students, as of the 2018-2019 school year,
acrossed 55 schools (KISD, 2023a). Communities included within the KISD, the 24th largest
school district and 4th most diverse district in Texas, include Killeen, Nolanville, Ft. Cavazos,
Harker Heights.
The topic selection was based on a fairness principle of treating all students with respect
and eliminating a root cause of inequity/bias that could exist, otherwise. In this, upholding the
Fourteenth Amendment, preventing constitutional right infringement, and the First Amendment,
protecting freedom of religion, students can be protected (Essex, 2016). Concern arose reading
the district’s caveat that a student could only leave a class when religious content was presented,
if academic status was acceptable, clear bias. Missing class if GPA was low, could bring further
risk. Though reasonable, the two issues must be separated, leaving class, regardless of GPA.
That the student may leave without a GPA requirement would satisfy constitutional protection.
Additionally, statement of option assignment alternative would remedy the situation.
Development of Policy and Procedures
Proposal of Policy (Revision)
Religious or Moral Beliefs (KISD, 2023b)
A parent may remove his or her child temporarily from the classroom if a scheduled
instructional activity conflicts with the parent’s religious or moral beliefs. Removal may not be
used to avoid a test and may not extend for an entire semester. The student may choose an
alternative, predetermined assignment to meet attendance and academic content requirements as
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determined by the school and state law.
Procedural Implementation
To implement this policy, all teachers will have preselected activities which substitute for
otherwise missed class time and assignments. These options will be addressed on the class
syllabus at the beginning of the term. A student will request alternative assignments no later than
one week before the scheduled class is to take place. Additionally, to corroborate this request, the
student must explain the reason for requesting to opt-out of the normally, scheduled class, and
have a parent or guardian signature along with that of the guidance counselor on the request
form. Student will have all required class work completed and turned in no later than the next
class day of the missed session. Class assignments will be submitted, daily, to receive credit.
Expected Results
The revision of the Religious or Moral Beliefs policy will cultivate equitable, inclusive,
and culturally responsive practices among teachers and staff by eliminating an academic bias of
what the student’s GPA status may be rather than the central focus of protecting the student’s
constitutional freedom of religion. This will move focus to the alternative assignment option
available, facilitating the student’s ability to leave class when conflicting content is presented, by
removing an academic stigma of GPA, standing in the way of respecting the student’s rights. If
GPA is in question, that is the role of the academic advisor to resolve, but not for constitutional
rights to be denied. All teachers must sign a disclosure at the beginning of the school year,
acknowledging this policy’s importance, agreeing to observe its provisions.
Advocating for Proposed Policy and Procedures
As the school administrator, advocating for the observance of this policy regarding
constitutional freedom of religion, attention would be given at the beginning of the year in the
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opening staff meeting. Emphasis that delineation of freedom of religion and student academic
condition must be made, to be kept separate issues, though equally addressed in providing
accommodation to the student in leaving a class session in which personally contrary religious or
moral beliefs are being addressed. Classroom teachers will be incented to create alternative
options for students who request to opt out of class, to be able to choose an assignment that
covers the session missed, equal in attendance and content points.
Introducing the revised policy to the primary stakeholders, teachers, the incentive of
multiple creative lesson assignments produced by teachers will be rewarded by surplus
department funding for relative class resources. This will be a collaboration with local businesses
inviting them to contribute to education.
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References
Essex, L. N. (2016). School law and the public schools: A practical guide for educational
leaders. Pearson Education (6th ed.).
Killeen Independent School District (KISD). (2023a). About KISD.
https://www.killeenisd.org/domain/7076
Killeen Independent School District (KISD). (2023b). Student Handbook.
https://www.killeenisd.org/cms/lib/TX02205734/Centricity/Domain/7180/23-
24StudentHandbook.pdf
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