Code

Code

From Page A1

and lists the infractions and their consequences.

In the event of an infraction* the teacher responsible “will determine if the misconduct warrants an office referral or can be handled in some other appropriate way." "Other appropriate way" includes time out, detention and afterschool detention. In cases referred to the principal the consequences include in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, placement in alternative education, and referral to the discipline committee, the school board, or to law enforcement.

The 22 item list of infractions includes: bomb threats/false alarm, for which any referral will result in out-of-school suspension and possible referral to the discipline committee and/or law enforcement; cheating, for which any referral will result in the requirement that work be redone and punishment involves in- or out-ofschool suspension; fighting, for which the first referral will result in three days of in- or out-ofschool suspension and a third offence in five days of out-of-school suspension and/or referral to the discipline committee; physically assaulting a school employee, for which any referral will result in out-of-school suspension and the immediate pick-up of the student from school* as well as possible referral to the School Board and/or law enforcement; and profanity/unacceptable gesture toward a school employee, for which a first offense will result in one to three days of out-of-school suspension, and a third offense five days of out-of-school suspension and possible referral to the discipline committee.

Focus on policies

Much of the July Board meeting was directed toward consideration of school system policies. Policy and Legal Committee member Frank Warner led a discussion on the free tuition policy for the children of out-of-County teachers. This policy was revised two years ago to eliminate the free tuition benefit for out-of-county teachers joining the school system after January 1, 1999. Board chair Rosa Crocker suggested tabling action on this policy while awaiting information on the policies of surrounding jurisdictions, but board member Aileen Johnson wanted to rerevise the policy to reinstate the free tuition benefit. She said that it was not fair to the newer teachers not to have this benefit, and she remarked that the school system could not expect much after-school activity from a teacher with children in an out-of-county school system. Member Rose Ann Sharp agreed that action on the policy should not be tabled, and moved to strike the Jan. 1,1999 restriction, but there was no second to that motion.

Mr. Warner noted that the "word is out that I’m against changing the policy." He said that some people felt that the free tuition was an unfair benefit, and he is against reinstating the benefit because the past school board had considered and removed it and, he said, "My problem is that I don't want to go willy nilly and change policies that were changed just a year or two ago."

Superintendent Dr. David Gangel said that "it has been the custom of the board to lay items on the table for a month," and suggested that the free tuition policy consideration be