A series on parenting
Part 2: Student discipline at school
By Tom Doland CHESTERFIELD SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN

Doland

Acting in a judicial capacity on serious student discipline matters is one of a School Board's most important responsibilities. By law, a school's principal may suspend a student for a a student for a maximum of 10 days. For serious incidents such as drug distribution, assault on staff or fighting that result in injury, a principal may suspend a student for 10 days and forward a recommendation for long-term suspension or expulsion to the Office of Student Conduct. Long-term suspension is defined as any out of school suspension longer than 10 school days. Expulsion generally is for 365 days, but may be extended or be permanent in the most serious of circumstances.

The School Board and superintendent have authorized the Office of Student Conduct to review a principal's recommendation for long-term suspension or expulsion, investigate further if needed and interview the parent and student. A decision by this office to place a student on long-term suspension or to expel may be appealed only to the School Board. In an appeal of a long-term suspension, the School Board reviews only the records related to a case. There is no hearing. In the case of an expulsion appeal, the School Board reviews the records and conducts a formal hearing in private. Decisions by the School Board are final and may be appealed only to the Chesterfield Circuit Court.

The county's School Board, in rendering its decisions, must balance the needs of the individual student against the well being of the staff and all students. Considerable attention is given to the term "zero tolerance," which to some means that any infraction should result in a student being suspended or expelled from school. The school system does not use this term in its policy. Rather, our Standards for Student Conduct and Attendance attempt to define what constitutes unacceptable behavior and the consequences for that behavior. In most discipline matters, expulsion is clearly not the appropriate consequence.

Zero tolerance therefore is not a program, but an attitude. We want to convey to our students that actions that violate our standards have consequences. But those consequences will vary based on the age of the student, a student's prior discipline history, the impact on staff and other students, and the degree to which the student is likely to repeat the negative behavior. Within Chesterfield schools, we have tried to develop strategies that include education, intervention and enforcement of policy that is just and, at the same time, ensure a safe environment for teaching and learning. This approach is reflected in the many school programs that address conflict management, bullying, crisis management, core values and other topics.

When the most serious cases come before the School Board on appeal, we strive to exercise both justice and mercy. We care about each student and seriously weigh any decision to put a child out of school. For students who are not allowed to return to school for an extended period, we often require that they provide us with documentation of counseling, community service, negative drug screens and evidence of positive engagement prior to readmission. We stress to these students and their families that this time in their lives can be a turning point. Our goal is for these students to return to school, continue their education with renewed passion and walk across the stage at graduation with pride in their academic and social accomplishments.

Tom Doland currently represents the Matoaca District on the School Board and worked as a school psychologist with Chesterfield County Public Schools for 32 years before he retired in 2003.