Woodland Public School District 404
Board of Directors
Resolution 20-01
Concerning opposition to HB 1407 and SB 5395
Whereas; locally elected school boards serve their local communities to ensure that students receive a high-quality education that reflects the values and priorities of their local communities as codified in Chapter 28A.150.070 of the RCW; and,
Whereas, state law explicitly grants local school boards with “The broad discretionary power to determine and adopt written policies not in conflict with other law that provides for the development and implementation of programs, activities, services, or practices” (RCW 28A.320.015); and,
Whereas, the state legislature and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, have progressively usurped the “broad discretionary power” of local school boards by adopting increasingly prescriptive mandate and legislation on matters of policy, program, activities, services, and practices; now,
Therefore, the Board of Directors of the Woodland Public Schools herewith communicates its strong opposition to the companion bills HB 1407 and SB 5395. We believe a prescriptive requirement that comprehensive sexual health education is taught in all grades, beginning in kindergarten, is in direct violation of the spirit of the “broad discretionary authority” granted to local boards of education; and,
We believe that this and other content and curricular decisions should be left to the governing body locally elected to make decisions that reflect the values and priorities of their local community rather than in Olympia.
ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of Woodland School District 404, Cowlitz and Clark Counties, Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, held on the 10th of February, 2020.