Schools

Parents Push for Changes to Disciplinary Process

Several expressed their views and concerns at a town hall meeting geared toward Mason District.

Parents and school activists continued to push for changes to the student disciplinary process in Fairfax County Public Schools at a Mason District town hall meeting at Falls Church High School on Saturday.

The goal of the meeting, the second , was to receive feedback from parents and understand what parents believe are the issues surrounding the disciplinary process. The process has become a huge topic in Fairfax County following the suicide of W.T. Woodson High School .

Several parents spoke, including Nick’s father, Steve Stuban, who was present with his wife, Sandy and their brother-in-law, Chris Antoniou. The meeting at times grew emotional as parents shared their experience with the process. At one point, Antoniou confronted Barbara Hunter, assistant superintendent, and expressed his anger about the school system.

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Also present was the father of Josh Anderson, a South Lakes High School student who committed suicide two years ago while awaiting a disciplinary hearing.

Karen Curtin, president of the Holmes Middle School Parent-Teacher Association, spoke on behalf of parents in the Holmes community and addressed the topic of parent notification. She mentioned a recent situation where 12-year-olds at Holmes were questioned for hours without their parents being notified. She said several parents are now telling their children not to speak with officers unless their parents are with them.

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"After all the years of us telling our children the police officers are your friends, the administrators are your friends, we now put them in a position where we have to tell them, ‘no, they’re not, they’re the enemy,’” said Curtin.

Some parents questioned FCPS policy and how the discipline process works. Others spoke about the need to revise the language in the Student Rights & Responsibilities (SR&R) Handbook. The issue of transferring students to other schools as a disciplinary action was also discussed.

"Moving students doesn't solve the problem, it just moves it to another place," Curtin said.

Fairfax County School Board member Sandra Evans (Mason District) and Mason District Supervisor Penelope Gross hosted the meeting. School Board Member at Large Martina Hone and Del. Kaye Kory (D-38th district) also attended and shared remarks.

“One of the things that is unnerving to me is the idea that we have to somehow choose between a safe school system and a just school system. I actually think you have a safe school system when you have a discipline process that is just and fair,” said Hone, adding later, “we have a moral responsibility to look at this and seek justice in this process.”

Another topic at the meeting was Virginia code, and what the state does and does not require of school administrators. For certain drug and weapons offenses, principals must recommend suspension or expulsion, but one parent argued that the code does allow discretion for even weapons or guns.

“Whether the principals are granting discretion or not, that’s a school system policy not something dictated by the state.” Kory agreed, saying the state does not make anyone inflexibly suspend a student or recommend them for expulsion.

“There’s a huge difference between the state code, the school board policies and then the practice,” said Kory.

It was also suggested that parents follow the current Supreme Court case J.D.B. v. North Carolina that is likely to determine whether a juvenile should be read Miranda warnings prior to interrogation, just as criminal suspects are read their Miranda warnings when question in police custody. “The rights of children do not end when they enter a school house,” one parent stated. Hone said the case could have implications for the parental notification debate.


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