We petition the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) to formally adopt a policy requiring that:

1. An incident report be completed for any serious student injury occurring during instruction time (including PE).

2. This report be made part of the student's educational record and be accessible to the affected parents/guardians upon request, in compliance with FERPA regulations.

Key Questions for Consideration:

• Should a formal incident report be created and accessible when a student sustains a serious injury during school activities?
• Should such a report document the circumstances of the incident, including any relevant details about lapses in instruction or communication?
• Should this report be included in the student's record, regardless of whether bullying was involved?
• Should schools be required to communicate with parents with appropriate urgency when a serious injury is suspected?

If you believe the answer to these questions is "yes," please consider signing this petition.

Background and Rationale:

A recent incident at a district middle school highlights a gap in current policy. During a PE class, a student sustained a fractured arm in a non-competitive basketball activity. Concerns were raised regarding class management and the clarity of safety instructions provided to students.

Following the injury, the initial communication to the parent did not convey the suspected severity of the injury (a fracture). Subsequently, the parent's request for the internal incident report was denied, citing confidentiality and stating that the California Education Code does not require such a report for student injuries to be maintained in the student's record.

This creates several issues:

• Lack of Accountability: Without a documented report that is accessible to parents, there is no formal mechanism to ensure a consistent review of safety protocols or instructional practices following a serious incident.
• Systemic Blind Spots: The current internal reporting form is confidential and generic, which may not incentivize thorough analysis or systemic correction of the factors that led to an injury.
• Inefficient Recourse: Parents seeking accountability for alleged negligence currently have limited options, primarily directed toward filing a formal liability claim. A transparent reporting process could provide a pathway for addressing concerns without immediate escalation to legal action.

Proposed Solution:

Formalizing a policy to create and disclose incident reports for serious injuries would:

• Promote consistent documentation and review of safety incidents.
• Provide parents with essential information about events involving their children.
• Foster a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks, potentially preventing future injuries.
• Build trust through transparency between schools and families.

We urge FUSD to implement this policy to ensure student safety, uphold transparency, and provide a clear channel for addressing parental concerns.

Please sign if you support this policy change.