Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 23, 1994 TAG: 9403230093
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And the School Board is backing his hard line.
Two more students were expelled from city schools Tuesday night for possessing weapons on school property. The board upheld Harris' recommendations for expulsion in both cases.
One unidentified student had a gun and another had a knife, according to the board's motion expelling them.
Another student had been expelled last month for possession of a gun on school property.
"We want to make sure that our schools are absolutely safe - and we want it to be absolute," Harris said.
Neither Harris nor board members identified the students. Harris would not identify the schools, but he said two were middle schools. The other expulsion involved a high-school age student, he said.
William Parsons, the School Board's attorney, said he doesn't believe the state's Freedom of Information Act requires school officials to identify the schools.
If the schools are identified, Parsons said, it would be easier for someone to identify the students.
Harris said the number of serious discipline cases is 10 ahead of the past school year, but these do not involve guns, drugs and physical aggression.
The expulsions coincide with a comprehensive revision and clarification of the city's standards and expectations for student behavior and disciplinary procedures.
The revised standards - which have been drafted with input from parents, teachers and others - make it clear that school administrators will recommend expulsion in all cases involving weapons, drugs and aggression.
Principals and Harris can recommend expulsion, but the School Board has veto power. Harris said parents favor the tough policy.
Harris will send a letter to parents next week with a summary of the policy. School assemblies will be held to inform students.
In other action, the board recognized the players and coaches of William Fleming High School's basketball team, which finished in second place in the recent state Group AAA tournament. In addition to their basketball talents, Harris said, he was impressed by the players' academic records and their plans to attend college.
The board also recognized Dominick Millner, a senior at William Fleming, who finished second in the long jump competition at the recent National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field Championship.
by CNB