SCHOOLS LOOK AT POLICY ON GUNS, DRUGS

Those students would automatically be recommended for expulsion under the
rules in Prince William County and many other school systems. But should
they be?

Some Prince William School Board members say the county's "zero tolerance"
policy on possession of drugs and weapons at school may be too rigid, and
the board will meet tonight to discuss the issue further.

Parents and civil liberties groups in many school districts have expressed
similar concerns, but few school boards have considered revising such rules.

Under Prince William's code of student behavior, similar to the codes in
many other Washington area school districts, a principal must recommend
expulsion for students who commit certain drug and weapons violations. The
cases are sent to a School Board committee, and the students are suspended
from school in the interim.

Some Prince William board members said they have heard expulsion cases in
which the principal should have had leeway to impose a lesser punishment.
As examples, they cited students bringing to school toy weapons that
clearly were not intended to be a threat, and students possessing
over-the-counter medications without intent to do harm or use them in an
illicit manner.

"There's been probably a half-dozen or so cases that we've discussed in
executive session that I would have preferred not to come before us," said
Lyle G. Beefelt (Brentsville).

Those who support an automatic expulsion recommendation in a wide range of
cases say it sends a strong message to students and becomes a powerful
deterrent to dangerous behavior.

Prince William board member Mary F. Williams (Neabsco), however, said that
expulsion is rarely a good answer and that having students miss class time
can be counterproductive.

"We're creating a new culture out there," Williams said. "It's not going to
help any of us."

The School Board disciplinary committee has the option of imposing other
punishment on a student recommended for expulsion, such as performing
community service, writing an essay or undergoing counseling.

But when principals go through the hours of preparation needed for an
expulsion hearing, and the committee then chooses not to expel the student,
it "undermines the credibility of the principal," said Prince William
Superintendent Edward L. Kelly.

The question is, "How much latitude do you want to give the staff?" Kelly
said. "Don't say, 'We want to hear these cases' and then don't expel them.
You can't have it both ways."

Some board members said they're inclined to leave the disciplinary rules
alone. Board Chairman Lucy S. Beauchamp (At Large) said she feels confident
the school administration is bringing forward expulsion cases that need to
be heard.

"That is a tribute to the common sense of the administrators," Beauchamp
said. However, she also said she welcomed the discussion with principals
that the board is scheduled to have tonight. "We can ask, from their point
of view, have we gotten too strict? Do they feel like we've tied their
hands in any way?"

John David Allen Sr. (Coles) also said he doesn't think the policy needs to
be revisited.

But Steven Keen (Woodbridge) suggested that the code of behavior, instead
of stating that certain cases "shall" come to the School Board for
expulsion hearings, should be changed to say that the offenses "may" result
in expulsion.

"No one is talking about ending zero tolerance," Keen said. "We really want
to start to use our judgment."