Schools

Reform Group to Rally Before School Board Meeting

Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform hopes school board's SR&R vote isn't final call

Fairfax County School Board members will make a call on the latest changes to the school system's discipline policies Thursday. Reform supporters plan to show up en masse and make their presence known with a rally before and testimonies during the meeting.

Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform Rally for Student Rights will kick off at 6:30 p.m. in front of Luther Jackson Middle School. The school board will vote on the changes to the Student Responsibilities and Rights handbook at around 7:45 p.m.

FCPS Superintendent Jack Dale presented his 10 recommendations for changes to the discipline process and Student Responsibilities and Rights handbook , along with feedback collected from parents by school principals and groups such as the Fairfax County Council of PTAs and Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform, a group of concerned citizen who fight for reform of Fairfax County school disciplinary policies and their implementation.

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School board members and local advocacy groups think the superintendent's recommended changes to the system’s disciplinary process don't go far enough – especially in the areas of parental notification and access to audio recordings of hearings.

FZTR President Caroline Hemenway said the changes are small and aren't close enough to the complete discipline system overhaul the group would like to see.

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"More than 70 issues were raised [at the March 14 work session], and the board stated it would be responsible for leadership in reviewing them," she wrote. "Instead, the board ceded responsibility to the superintendent. As a result, his proposal does not go anywhere near far enough to include parents and guardians in preventive, rehabilitative, or restorative practices."

She adds these guidelines for the school board to consider Thursday night:

  • Whatever happens, this is only a START; keep the reform review going.
  • Notify parents/guardians BEFORE kids are questioned, give them Miranda warnings, do not let them sign statements without parent/guardian permission. Superintendent Jack Dale's SR&R proposed changes state only that an attempt to notify parents will be made after questioning.
  • Put a moratorium on involuntary lateral school transfers because research/data show they are deleterious and none shows they are beneficial. Work with national experts to develop criteria for the very limited cases where they may be appropriate. Jack Dale SR&R changes do not address this issue at all.
  • Record all hearings and make them available for free immediately to parents who request them. Jack Dale's proposed SR&R changes suggest hearings be recorded but parents can only "review" them, not have copies.
  • Support children on suspension by providing ongoing educational (and wraparound) services throughout; meantime, reduce out-of-school suspensions to as close to zero as possible. There is now money in the budget for a start ($500K), thanks to SB Tina Hone, but virtually nothing in the SR&R on this issue.
  • Reduce disproportional discipline against students with disabilities and disadvantaged students, including minorities. This is not addressed in Jack Dale's proposed SR&R changes.

Want to go? Wear red "as a symbol of valor and strength" and bring your signs, said Hemenway. Can't make it? Watch the meeting live on Channel 21. Check FZTR's website after the meeting for video footage of the vote. Email school board members with your thoughts.


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