Haslett Board of Education begins developing policies in response to drunk shaming incident

MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP — The Haslett Board of Education on Monday night referred to its policy committee the task of developing new policies to address issues arising from a 2007 drunk-shaming incident that came to the public’s attention recently.

Officials determined during their work session that the district needed to adopt a code of conduct for employees. However, such a code of conduct would be “without teeth,” unless it was part of the collective bargaining agreement between the district and the teachers union, the Haslett Education Association. The district is due to renegotiate that agreement next year.

“We agree a code of conduct with teeth gets to be the tricky part,” said school board president Rob Fowler.

The issue arose after Michigan Messenger reported on a case of drunk shaming which occurred in June of 2007. A police report from the incident indicates that several teachers from the Haslett schools got together for an end of the year party. After consumption of alcohol and marijuana, one of the teachers passed out, and other teachers wrote obscene messages and pictures on her body.

The school was informed of the incident at the time by three of the teachers involved but took no disciplinary action against any of them. Administration officials say their hands are tied by the state’s Teacher Tenure Act, and because the incident occurred off school property and was not a school district related function.

But legal expert and district parent Frank Ravitch told Michigan Messenger has other options in terms of taking action against those teachers involved, without risking triggering the Teacher Tenure Act.

Administration officials continued to maintain Monday night they were unable to act, but Mike Duda, the superintendent of the district, said the district could use contracts associated with non-classroom related activities for partial action. Coaches and club advisers are paid an extra stipend in addition to their annual salaries as teachers and administrators. Those contracts could be denied to staff who violated the code of conduct — and such action could be done outside the confines of the collective bargaining agreement.

One teacher involved in the incident has already resigned a coaching position in the district as a result of the incident.

Board member Lorie Barbieri presented a document upon which she wanted to see a new code of conduct policy drafted. The document, which she said was written by an attorney friend of hers, reads:

All personnel associated with Haslett School District are expected to comply with and conform to state, federal and local laws, both in letter and in spirit. They must maintain the highest standards of maturity, integrity, honesty, and impartiality in both personal and professional matters, thereby serving as role models for our students.

All personnel are expected to uphold their obligation to create a respectful, safe, caring and orderly learning environment. Appropriate behavior is to be modeled, as well as taught, inside and outside the classroom. Staff members in education are especially subject to public censure for unsatisfactory conduct; therefore, they are to present themselves as upstanding examples and be positive reflections on the Haslett School community. The behavior and conduct of all personnel must contribute to, not detract from, the reputation and standards of excellence of the Haslett School District.

In addition the code of conduct issue, board members discussed the need for the development of an Employee Assistance Program. EAP’s are programs which allow employers to intervene with employees who are struggling with substance abuse or other mental health issues.

“There is no doubt in my mind that none of this would have happened if there had not been alcohol or drugs,” said board member Don Frank.