In a nutshell
The discussion stems from a video that appears to show a KISD male student slap, punch and subsequently tackle a female student in front of the teacher and class, leading her to fight back.
Some community members advocated for policy changes at the April 14 and April 22 board meetings, but there is no indication of when or if the policy will be revised, Rachel Ross, KISD general manager of media relations, said in an email.
The policy
Regardless of who starts the fight, the district’s policy states both students involved could face consequences, Director of Student Affairs Sherri Ashorn said at the April 14 work study meeting.
“If an individual is physically confronted by another student, the individual should avoid striking back and find an adult or administrator in the situation,” Ashorn said. “The claim of self-defense is not justification to avoid this disciplinary action.”
Ashorn said self-defense can only be claimed if the student:
- Didn’t provoke the encounter or act as the aggressor
- Used minimum force to remove themselves from immediate danger
- Cannot reasonably flee
Why now?
KISD parent Danny Gianfrancesco said his daughter, Brooklyn Gianfrancesco, was placed on a three-day suspension in late March for engaging in the “mutual confrontation” recorded. The video that circulated the KISD community was taken by another student and reposted by Danny Gianfrancesco.
This sparked discussion among KISD parents about self-defense policies on platforms such as Facebook and Nextdoor, parent Amanda Becario said during public comment.
“Those ... parents were also shocked, like me, to find out that if their kids fight back, they will be disciplined the same way as the original aggressor,” Becario said.
Looking ahead
Board President Victor Perez said at the April 14 meeting trustees would consider changing the policy.
“Part of the exercise here, besides informational, is also for the board to think about if there's any tweaking or adjusting that we need to make to the policy going forward,” Perez said.
