The school district gave a different explanation, saying its August board meeting had effectively served as a public hearing, although it acknowledged that the meeting had not been clearly advertised as one. Superintendent Todd Green said the district was correcting the issue and defended the new rule as a way to maintain a safe and distraction-free learning environment. He also praised Kaputa for speaking up about something she believed was important.

Following the controversy, the district scheduled a new public hearing on the student code of conduct. Kaputa said she hopes the experience encourages other students to pay attention to local government, read official documents and understand their civic rights and responsibilities. What started with a cup of coffee quickly became a wider debate over school rules, transparency and public participation.