
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 8, 1995                   TAG: 9506080053
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

STILL NO DECISION ON NEW STUDENT CONDUCT CODE

In March, a student was expelled from Blacksburg High School for bringing an unloaded gun to school. A month later, another Blacksburg student was suspended for bringing a large knife.

The two incidents raised the issue of how to deal with violence in schools for the Montgomery County School Board, which had to discipline both students.

This week, with those incidents fresh in their minds, members of the School Board began the difficult task of updating the county's student code of conduct. It is intended to address crime and violence in the schools and make it clear to all students what the school system will not tolerate.

But in a two-hour, sometimes bizarre discussion over the code which lasted until 11 p.m. Tuesday, the School Board could agree on only two things:

nThe code needs to be shorter.

nAny student bringing a gun to school will be expelled.

The wordy, 12-page code covers everything from inappropriate dress to the size and length of knife blades that will not be allowed.

"It needs to be more concise and more understandable to students and the administrators who are called upon to enforce the particular policies," said Board Member Dick Edwards Wednesday. "Right now it's ambiguous. ... They're trying to cover the waterfront, but you've got to give some leeway to administrators and principals and hope their judgment is good. My military background says you just can't cover the waterfront."

However, Annette Perkins said principals and administrators need to be consistent when dealing with discipline problems and need some guidelines.

"The latest incidents [at Blacksburg High] are a prime example of that," she said. "We didn't have a clear definition."

The document, as it now stands, forbids bullying, cheating, skipping school, dressing inappropriately, fighting and other routine misbehavior. Lengthy definitions accompany each offense, but the consequences of breaking the rules are not listed.

"It needs to be more reader-friendly," said Peggy Arrington, who agreed with part of Edwards' observations, but also with part of Perkins'.

Vice Chairman David Moore, in turn, agreed partly with Edwards, but believed not all knives should result in immediate suspension or expulsion. So did Becky Raines, who pointed out that some rural students could be affected more than other students by the knife rule.

After about 40 minutes, it was unclear what any board member truly wanted to do with the document. More than an hour later, the members, confused by their own lengthy discussion, tabled the issue again. The document was first presented at the May 16 meeting, but tabled after a lengthy debate at that meeting, too.

by CNB