MORE STUDENT EXPULSIONS ARE GOING TO COURT

HARTFORD - School officials who are pushing to get unruly students
out of schools are finding that students and their parents are pushing back.

Educators and attorneys say that since the state Supreme Court ruled
last July that the Thomaston school board should not have expelled a
student for an off-campus marijuana arrest, parents and students are
more likely to take legal action to contest expulsions.

The publicity surrounding the case to reverse Kyle Packer's expulsion
has given families a new sense of their legal alternatives when
students are faced with disciplinary action that can derail their
college goals, Packer's lawyer said.

"I'm getting calls all the time now," the lawyer, William Conti said
recently.

Connecticut does not compile data on total numbers of expulsions. But
state education officials say expulsions--and parental challenges to
them--have become more common in recent years because of
zero-tolerance policies on drugs and weapons.

The spate of copycat threats that followed the school shooting in
Littleton, Colo., has caused school officials to be even more attuned
to expellable offenses and their potential consequences.

An expulsion, which is a suspension that lasts for more than 10 days,
can affect a student's chances for college admission and
scholarships.

And more suburban families have been taking legal action, since
wealthier families can afford the cost to hire a lawyer.

As a result, a new specialty has emerged for lawyers. And educators
worry that the new trend may jeopardize the fairness of the expulsion
process, giving students with more financial resources an unfair advantage.

Educators say they are also concerned about the effect it may have on
students' attitudes toward discipline and learning.

State Department of Education spokesman Tom Murphy said the lawsuits
pit the parents against schools.

"In days gone by, parents who were contacted by administrators were
more likely to respond by saying, 'I'm very sorry my son or daughter
did this, is there anything we can do to address this issue?'" Murphy
said.

"Now, the response oftentimes is, 'How dare you. You'll hear from my
attorney.' While parents have a right to protect their child, the
predominant attitude is that we can get you off it we're sharp enough."