Agenda 3/30/16; Minutes 3/23/16

Post date: Mar 29, 2016 2:44:43 PM

Agenda 3.30.16

• 1. Approval of Minutes

  2. Reports

  3. Gender Motion

  4. Notes & New Business

Council Minutes 3.23.16

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” ~Maya Angelou

• 1. Approval of Minutes

  2. Reports

     • AMod: Still waiting on a finished Athletics Over Break response

     • Secretary: Sophomore Alternate and Junior Alternate can vote

     • PR: Hoping to bring in a Women and Gender Studies Professor to talk to Council

     • SA: Started working on the budget.

     • SL: Will be sending out survey

     • OEC: Election will be held Friday, May 6th. Nomination forms will be available on April 18th and will be due on April 27th.

     • Curric: Results of the Homework survey

  3. Community Building Motion (Grill Motion)

     • I move to allocate $1799 for the purchase of a Weber 620 Grill to reside in the back garden of the school

       • Motion comes from CG 20. School used to have a grill which was used a lot.

       • Council Funds: $5,131.66

       • Used for clubs or common ground—something officially recognized by the school

       • Sign out process (with Ms. Tedeschi) - teacher/advisor would sign it out

       • Motion Passes

• 1. Gender Motion

     • I move that Hanover High School implements the following rules and policies under Section 8 (HHS Student Policies and Responsibilities) in the student handbook under its own subsection titled “Gender Inclusivity” with the following subsections...

       • Discussing each point individually

       • “All-Gender Facilities and Programs - The school requires that individuals be permitted to use single-sex facilities, such as bathrooms or locker rooms, and participate in single-sex programs (such as a co-curricular activity or club), consistent with their gender, regardless of their sex assigned at birth, anatomy, medical history, appearance, or the sex indicated on their identification. This does not require the school to make existing bathrooms all-gender or construct additional restrooms. Single-occupancy restrooms will make clear that they can be used by people of all genders. Some people may object to sharing a facility or participating in a program with a non-cisgender, transgender or gender non-conforming person. Such objections will not be a legitimate reason to deny access to that non-cisgender, transgender or gender non-conforming individual. If an individual objects to sharing a bathroom with with a non-cisgender or gender non-conforming person, they may use the single-occupancy bathrooms in the music department or other areas of the school. -- For single-sex programs associated with the state’s athletic association, the school should do all in its power to try to allow students (regardless of gender) to participate in the programs.”

       • Colleges often have gender-neutral facilities in place

       • There is no evidence that a mixed bathroom increases violence or sexual assault in anyway

       • There are separate, single showers in P.E. offices

       • In college, people are often over 18 (legally adults) and choose to attend the school on their own volition

       • Creating open-mindedness and space around gender roles reduces rape culture and sexual assault. This is an effort to diminish that kind of harm.

       • People are uncomfortable in locker rooms as they are right now

  2. Meeting Adjourns