By Scott Harvey
Commerce – The Commerce ISD School Board on Tuesday is scheduled to meet in special session to discuss and consider action on its current sex offender policy.
The meeting is scheduled for 8 a.m. in the CISD Administration Office, 604 Culver St.
The item was brought before board members earlier this year, the result of which was a split decision in favor of keeping the policy as is, and to do a better job of enforcing it.
The current policy is as follows:
No adult who has ever pled guilty, has ever pled nolo contendere, has ever been found guilty of a "reportable conviction or adjudication," or is required to register with the sex offender registry under
Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure may enter or be present upon any District property. Except as otherwise provided in this policy, any adult sex offender meeting the above criteria will be asked to leave District property and law enforcement may be notified.
Where a sex offender is a lawfully registered and qualified voter whose polling place is on District property, he or she may enter such property for early voting or on Election Day, during polling hours, solely for the purpose of casting his or her vote. Where a student's parent, guardian, or other person having lawful control of the student under a valid court order is a sex offender as defined above, that person may only enter District property under the following limited circumstances:
- To attend a scheduled conference with school personnel to discuss the student's academic or social progress, promotion/ retention, assignment/reassignment, attendance, participation in school-related activities, or discipline;
- To attend an ARD or IEP meeting or other conference where evaluation or placement decisions may be made respecting the student's special education services;
- To pick up assignments from the campus administrative office;
- To transport the student to or from school;
- To attend the student's high school graduation; or
- To attend any meeting requested by the campus administration.
The individual shall be supervised and accompanied by school personnel at all times. The individual must sign out at the campus administrative office upon departure. If the individual is on District property for any other purpose and without permission, he or she shall be subject to removal and/or arrest.
The individual shall not be permitted to enter or be present on school property if:
1. The individual's parental rights have been terminated,
2. The individual's presence at school is prohibited by court order or conditions of probation, or
3. The Superintendent determines that the individual poses a unique threat to student safety.
In those cases, communications regarding the student shall be conducted by alternate means such as telephone, mail, or electronic communications. Where the administration determines that a meeting is necessary, it will identify an appropriate meeting place where students are not present.