School board member says ‘very important topic’ deserves more deliberation; panel OKs labor pact

The Benicia Unified School District Governing Board elected last week to table Board Policy BP5141.52, the official district policy on suicide prevention, until it could be brought back for further discussion.

The policy had been on the board’s consent calendar, which means that it could have been approved in one motion, and without discussion, along with other items. However, trustees, staff or a member of the public can request an item be pulled from the calendar for further discussion, and that’s what Trustee Peter Morgan did Thursday.

“I think it’s a very important topic,” Morgan said in explaining the move.

According to the policy, to reduce suicidal behavior and its impact on students and families, the superintendent is empowered to develop preventive strategies and intervention procedures that may involve school health professionals, counselors, administrators, staff, parents and guardians, students, local health agencies and professionals and community organizations.

Suicide prevention strategies may include efforts to promote a positive school climate that “enhances students’ feelings of connectedness with the school and is characterized by caring staff and harmonious interrelationships among students.” Another strategy is to offer parents and guardians education or information that describes just how severe the youth suicide problem is and explains the district’s suicide prevention program, risk factors and warning signs of suicide, basic steps for helping suicidal youth and school and community resources that can help in a crisis.

Morgan said the policy is more like a template to be used by any school district, and “I don’t think it does our program justice.”

He added that it does not allow the district to educate parents and the community on what exactly is done to prevent student suicides.

“I don’t feel well informed right now, as I am sitting here reading the policy about aspects of our prevention programs,” he said.

Superintendent Janice Adams recommended pulling the item. “We’ve done extensive work on this and you haven’t heard it. I would be happy to pull this one and bring it back for the next board meeting and we can give more in-depth (information),” she said.

The board next meets April 23.

In other matters, during public comment Gretchen Burgess and her son, Maximilian, spoke about the intersection of West Military and West Seventh streets where Mary Farmar Elementary School and Benicia High School students cross to get to and from school.

“A few years ago a middle school child was hit, and thankfully not killed, in that intersection,” Gretchen Burgess said.

“At that time a $14,000 sign was put up at my request. Since then my son and I have been crossing that intersection on almost a daily basis, and at least twice a week we have to dodge cars to cross that street. It’s very dangerous.”

Burgess said the problem has persisted through two mayors, four police chiefs, two city managers and four city engineers, not counting interim personnel.

“Right now they are doing their second consulting look at that intersection,” she said.

She asked the board to look at the results of the consultation to see how the district can have input on making the intersection safer.

Maximilian, a student at Mary Farmar Elementary, added that “West Seventh Street is the worst street I have crossed in all my life.”

In other business, the board unanimously approved an agreement between the California School Employees Association, which represents non-teaching staff, and the district for the 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years.