Johnston school board considers change to bullying, harassment policy

Johnston County Public Schools leaders on Thursday are expected to discuss the district's bullying policy, including a change that would remove the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from the policy.
Posted 3/13/2025, 1:01:36 PM Updated 3/13/2025, 10:01:59 PM

ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS, WRAL

NEWS COVERAGE. YOU CAN GO.

>> FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS

WEEK, JOHNSTON COUNTY SCHOOL

LEADERS HAVE PAUSED A DECISION

TO EXCLUDE LGBTQ+ LANGUAGE FROM

ITS BULLYING AND HARASSMENT

POLICY WRAL'S AARON THOMAS HAS

BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY SINCE

WE FIRST REPORTED EARLIER THIS

WEEK AND SHARES WHAT LED TO

TODAY'S DECISION. RIGHT HERE AT

THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF

EDUCATION BOTH TODAY AND

TUESDAY. THOSE MEMBERS SAID

THEY WANT TO BE IN ACCORDANCE

WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW

MEMBERS WITH THE POLICY REVIEW

COMMITTEE SPOKE ON THIS TOPIC

FOR LESS THAN 20 MINUTES.

>> A LOOK AT THE DRAFT POLICY

SHOWS THE WORDS ORIENTATION AND

GENDER IDENTITY CROSSED OUT AN

EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM THE TRUMP

ADMINISTRATION SUGGEST THE U.S.

GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES ONLY 2

SEXES, MALE AND FEMALE. BUT

THE QUESTION IN CONFLICT AMONG

BOARD MEMBERS IS DO THESE RULES

APPLY IN THE CLASSROOM AND HOW

THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY SAYS THERE

APPEARS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT

CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS THE LOSS

OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS

SCHOOL DISTRICT. IF THEY DON'T

PROCEED WITH THIS ORDER,

LEADERS HELD A CONVERSATION ON

HOW THE DISTRICTS TO PROCEED

IN ADDRESSING BULLYING AND

HARASSMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS,

INCLUDING THOSE IN THE LGBTQ+

COMMUNITY. I WOULD PREFER AND I

THINK IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY ONE

OF OUR SPEAKERS THAT WE USE

BROAD LANGUAGE.

>> I THINK WE JUST SAY WE WILL

NOT TOLERATE BULLYING PERIOD.

WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPAND INTO

EVERY AVENUE BECAUSE THE TRUTH

IS.

ALL DIFFERENT KINDS. CHILDREN

CAN BE BELIEVE THE BOARD

DISCUSSED BRINGING BACK THIS

HARASSMENT POLICY WITH BROADER

LANGUAGE BACK FOR REVIEW.

>> ONCE IT'S APPROVED BY THE

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