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Schools eye new rules for expelling over weapons

Tamira Madsen  —  4/29/2008 11:07 am

In an effort to give principals and administrators a chance to exercise discretion to expel a student who brings a weapon besides a gun to school, Madison school district officials are considering alterations to the language in the student codes of conduct.

Recommended revisions were discussed at Monday night's School Board meeting.

The current rule for a first offense states that a student who has a weapon on school grounds besides a firearm, pellet gun or BB gun and isn't carrying the weapon with an "intent to cause harm to another" will receive a five-day suspension. After a second offense, a student could face an expulsion recommendation.

The rule revision would give principals and administrators the option to expel the student for a first-time offense.

Dan Mallin, who works in legal services with the Madison Metropolitan School District and is a member of the committee drafting changes to the codes of conduct, said the rule change is meant to take into account a variety of circumstances.

For example, a situation could be handled on a different level when a student unintentionally brings a work instrument, such as a box cutter, to school.

"It does add discretion, and discretion is something where we always have concerns about," Mallin said. "Consistency from school to school, from principal to principal and where that line is drawn (is what we're looking at). ... The change here is to go from 'shall not expel, shall be suspended for five days for a first offense being caught' to a 'may expel with a fact-specific inquiry as to why the weapon was brought in the first place.' "

Superintendent Art Rainwater and a handful of board members were adamant that a zero-tolerance policy be enforced in cases in which a student strikes a principal, teacher, faculty member or an adult non-staff member. That also includes situations when someone intercedes during a fight.

A rule revision will take into account "provocation" and "intentional use of force" situations when incidents involve special education students.

"To the extent we possibly can, we have to really and truly ingrain in our students' heads that when a staff member steps in, it stops. And it stops right then," Rainwater said. "If the next punch you swing, it hits a staff member, you're done (and should be expelled). That's what I believe."

Board President Arlene Silveira said that, for the most part, language is being clarified in several rules in the student codes of conduct to eliminate multiple interpretations and update rules to reflect the current climate within the school system.

School Board members will vote on the revisions during one of the board's meetings in May, and the changes then will be implemented during the 2008-09 school year.

New members

New School Board members Marj Passman and Ed Hughes took over new posts as School Board members with swearing-in ceremonies at Monday's meeting.

Passman and Hughes, who ran unopposed during April elections, assume the seats vacated by retiring members Carol Carstensen and Lawrie Kobza. Carstensen, the most experienced member, served on the board since 1990, while Kobza concluded one term of three years.

"There's now no turning back," Silveira said jokingly in welcoming Passman and Hughes.

Tamira Madsen  —  4/29/2008 11:07 am