Board discusses school discipline

School Board members had recent violence and threats in mind as they worked on a Student Code of Conduct.

By BARBARA BEHRENDT

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2001

INVERNESS -- With headlines of school shootings, threats and disruptions becoming almost commonplace across the nation, Citrus School Board members this week said they wanted to be sure the district's discipline code is clear and specific:

Bullying will not be permitted. Students cannot make derogatory remarks to one another. Bomb threats will not be tolerated. And proper and safe attire will be worn to school.

Those were the areas that board members made their focus on Tuesday as they discussed the final format of the Student Code of Conduct. The code is set for approval by the board next month, after a public hearing.

On Tuesday, the board discussed tweaking some wording in the document, and board member Pat Deutschman said she felt that language was needed to clearly tell students that threats are serious and bullying will not be tolerated. She said recent incidents across the nation have shown that school violence followed incidents of bullying and intimidation.

Although School Board attorney Richard "Spike" Fitzpatrick told the board that threats were already outlawed under the heading of "assault," Deutschman persisted. "I think the time has come to be a little bit more specific," she said. "Can we not enforce (rules against) bullying because we can't define it?"

"We can't legislate morality, but in today's society, we must give clear guidelines," board member Carol Snyder said. Students must learn to be respectful and intimidation must be stopped, she said. Deutschman suggested adding a phrase outlawing "bullying, disrespectful and derogatory comments."

Another change in the proposal was suggested by board member Sandra "Sam" Himmel who wanted to see baggy clothes outlawed as a safety issue. "You can put a gun under baggy pants, a big one," she said.

Bonnie Hardiman, director of student services, said school principals did not like baggy clothing, although they did not specifically ask to have it mentioned in the Code of Conduct.

Another dress code issue the board addressed was a proposed change in wording so that shorts, skirts and dresses should be mid-thigh or longer, rather than the current language saying that they must be mid-thigh or longer. Hardiman said the change was suggested to make the section more consistent with other phrases in the dress code. But board members and Fitzpatrick said "should" sounded too much like the length was an option and not a requirement. So the board opted to keep the current language.

The Code of Conduct proposal also now specifies that a student making a bomb threat faces a mandatory one-year expulsion, a requirement of law. Deutschman suggested adding the bomb threat in another part of the Code of Conduct as well just to emphasize how seriously the district takes such actions.

In other activity:

ENGINEERING PROGRAM: The board approved an agreement for Project Lead the Way, an initiative at Lecanto High School that will establish a pre-engineering curriculum at the school taught by teacher Burgess Newcomb. Students can take four pre-engineering courses as electives, which will prepare them for college-level engineering training.

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