School board member says removing protections does not give reasons to bully

School board member Travis Padget spoke as a community member during open forum to remind the board that even through protected class language has been removed from policy due to new state laws, it does not give students the right to bully others who fit into those protected class descriptions.

“We were asked — or told — to remove protected class language from the bullying policy,” Padget said at the Aug. 25 school board meeting. “We accepted that change. Normally I don’t accept those changes without a little bit of fuss about responsible legislative processes and how we’re protecting our students.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill this past year that eliminated “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Rights Acts. Local opponents of the bill called it “harmful” and “downright mean and hateful” in a meeting with Rep. Jon Dunwell back in February. Others worried removing protections would be a slippery slope.

Padget wanted to remind the board that the removal of the policy language does not change the district’s stance on bullying nor its tolerance for mistreating people. He said removing he language was a requirement from the government, but it does not give people the right to discriminate or treat people poorly.

“Regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, beliefs, color, age — any of those pieces are not reasons to bully,” Padget said. “I am for this board, whether I’m on this in the future or not, to not allow bullying of anyone and mistreatment of any people. That’s all I needed to say.”

At some point he would like to see the board consider making bullying a topic of discussion and take a stance against it given the policy language had changed.