Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 16, 1991 TAG: 9104160182
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER/ NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
They were among seven high school boys and one Pulaski Middle School girl, ages 14 to 16, suspended by the school administration after an investigation. The incident occurred in a restroom on March 21, a school day, about 4:30 p.m. No one will say how school administrators learned about it.
An investigation by school officials so far indicated that all involved were willing participants. No criminal charges have been filed.
Three of the boys whose appeals the board heard Monday were suspended for the rest of the school year. The other, whose involvement was considered less than the others, will be suspended for 10 days. The board had heard an appeal from that student and a parent at the board meeting Thursday but made no decision until Monday.
Two other students, including the girl, did not appeal their suspensions.
All seven of the boys had appealed at an earlier administrative hearing, but the suspensions were upheld. All but one then took their appeals to the final School Board level.
The four boys and girl suspended through the end of the year will be offered an alternative education program that includes an approved correspondence course. The students or their parents will have to pay the cost of the course.
The five will be on probation next year, meaning they cannot take part in extra-curricular school activities.
The School Board heard the appeals behind closed doors from about 9 a.m. until almost 1:30 p.m. The board is scheduled to hear the appeals of the remaining two high school boys next Monday at 1 p.m. If their suspensions are upheld, they, too, will be offered the home-study program and will be on probation next year.
In a statement released after the meeting, the board said that, although the incident is "considered to be extremely serious," it took into account the ages of the students and tried to discipline them in a manner "geared toward severe punishment coupled with concern for the future education of the young people involved."
Superintendent William Asbury said the incident was not typical of disciplinary problems the school might have had in the past.
"I really don't think this is representative of what's going on . . . I'm convinced that our high school is not unlike other high schools in our region," he said. "The majority of the time, our students are all doing the right things."
The superintendent said Pulaski County High School has about 1,725 students, "and unfortunately, on any given day, a few kids can make a big difference on how things go."
Nevertheless, he said, an emphasis on discipline has been something teachers and parents have mentioned to him as a priority since he became superintendent this year.
"It was one of the first things the School Board had," he said.
Although discipline problems are no worse here than in other counties with schools of comparable size, he said, "the standards are such that the people want it better."
by CNB