We are pleased that the Saucon Valley School Board and its administration have decided not to include five racially, politically incorrect and gender offensive words from a section of their handbook under a section called “hate speech.”

We spoke out last month against this well-intentioned but misguided attempt to control what students can say on campus, indicating that enforcement would create more problems that it would solve.

The issue came up at November’s school board meeting when the board received a draft of the policy that included prohibition of the words “b----,” the N-word, “terrorist,” “gay” and “retarded.”

The latest draft, to be reviewed by the school board this week, removes the five suggested “hate” words and lays out objectives in broader terms. Now, the section on harassment and anti-discrimination would bar students from displaying behavior through actions, words or symbols or depictions found to be discriminatory or prejudicial. Violators will face punishment based on the school’s Code of Conduct.

School Superintendent Craig Butler explained to local media that the idea for members of a students’ committee that came up with the suggestion included the words as “examples” of banned words.

The revised draft means that students could still be disciplined for using the five words, or any other offensive word, but it would depend on intent and circumstance.

One handbook change proposes under the heading of “racial, ethnic or class intimidation” that “malicious intention toward the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity of another individual or group of individuals” would be forbidden.

Violators would face disciplinary action based on the severity of the incident. For example, the first offense may include one, two or three days of out-of-school suspension; a second offense, up to five days, and a third offense up to 10 days. The policy would say that police could be notified at any time, depending on circumstances.

A racial incident at the school last fall resulted in fallout that attracted national attention and a lawsuit. A white student made a video of a black student eating chicken, along with commentary which was deemed racist.

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli got into the fray by bringing a charge of ethnic intimidation against the white student.

We commend the school district for attempting to defuse the issue by forming a committee of community members, teachers, students and parents to find ways to bring awareness to the community and schools about the importance of these issues and find ways to address instances of racial prejudice, bigotry, and ethnic and gender intimidation and discrimination.

School officials hope that one of the offshoots of this committee’s work will be to make the district more welcoming to minority students.

The Saucon Valley district is made up of residents from the borough of Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township.

By Bruce Frassinelli | tneditor@tnonline.com