Schools
Disciplinary Changes A Step in the Right Direction
Though activists may be left unsatisfied on certain areas of reform, the changes reflect a good effort on behalf of the school board
The school board’s decision to change the formerly black-and-white discipline policy was a step in the right direction.
The board voted to get rid of involuntary school transfer as administrators go to means of punishment as well as voting to increase alternative means of punishment.
However, one part of reform activists were adamant about was notifying parents when a child is called in for questioning. This was not part of the amendment to the SR&R.
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While I agree that parents should be notified, I fully understand the reasoning behind the school board’s decision. In an affluent county, parents are no strangers to legal proceedings and will go to great lengths to protect their child.
Undoubtedly, disciplinary procedures will be halted as more and more students “lawyer up” and it will become even more costly and time consuming to investigate matters.
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It all goes along with the “NOVA” mentality of pushing children toward success; parents often-times sugar coat the negative actions of their precious baby girls and boys.
Legal proceedings will also be recorded, as a result of the SR&R changes, but this raises the question of how much like a courtroom has school become.
A school system needs to be like a community with the goal of raising well-rounded and educated citizens. Students are not adults, and punishment should be administered on a case-by-case basis and fairly.
Parents and activists want to move away from a “by-the-book” mentality, but in doing so they are just amending the book to something they would rather read.
To play devil’s advocate, I find it disturbing that parents have lost so much trust in the people meant to protect their children outside homes that they feel the need to be notified the second something has gone askew. Administrators should have enough rapport to make a decidedly fair investigation.
Of course, it can be argued that when a child is sick the parent must be notified. But in large part, that is because they need to be picked up from school.
This reflects poorly on both school officials and parents, but kudos to the school board for amending what was an ineffective means of discipline.
