Moms Talk Q&A: Should Public Schools Change Disciplinary Procedures?

Last night the Fairfax County Public School Board voted to review the county's disciplinary process, which has been in the spotlight since a front-page story ran in Sunday’s Washington Post about a student who had committed suicide after being suspended.

Stuban's parents connect his suicide with his , saying that the county schools' disciplinary procedures were "inhumane, impersonal, overly harsh and draconian."

However, Virginia Department of Education data shows that in 2009-10 Fairfax County expelled just four students, an 80 percent decrease since 2005-06; and assigned long-term suspension (10 days or more) to 128 students, a 69 percent decrease.

High school principals attribute the decrease to positive behavior programs implemented countywide, alternative intervention strategies and the focus on academic performance expectations, FCPS superintendent Jack Dale said recently.

Dale also said that the school system is required to take certain actions under state law. 

"You might be interested to know that many student discipline laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly compel us to take certain actions with given infractions — invariably, the law requires us to expel a student from his/her school," he wrote in a letter to the Stuban family recently. "For example, most drug- and weapon-related infractions require an expulsion from school."

Dale went on to say FCPS staff and the school board try to find alternative placement for such students.

Do you think that FCPS should change the disciplinary process? Why or why not? Many people have also said that a parent should be present if a student is questioned over an action that could lead to suspension/expulsion from the school. Would this create too much of a burden on local administrators? 

Please join in our discussion today. Comments open at 1 p.m.