Attorney says school board can’t update LGBTQ equality policy in 2020-21 code of conduct

The discussion about whether a student within The Schools District of Lee County can use a restroom consistent with their gender identity is not over.

Board member Melisa Giovanelli tried to make a motion to take the controversial LGBTQ equality poster and policy out of the 2020-21 student code of conduct during the Lee County School Board meeting Tuesday.

“Our other board attorney, retired board attorney, Mr. Martin, he advised poster cannot be removed without public hearing because it would be an amendment to the policy,” Giovannelli said.

The school board attorney said board members can’t take back their vote on approving the code of conduct, so Giovannelli asked her fellow board members to let the public know how they would have voted on the poster.

“I would rescind my vote at this time based on how it was put in the code of conduct without community stakeholders,” board member Gwyn Gittens said.

Gittens did say she would also rescind her vote as she stated a couple weeks ago.

No other board members said how they would have voted on the poster when Giovannelli posed the question.

ORIGINAL STORY PRIOR TO MEETING BELOW

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