Discipline Reform Group Plans to Attend School Board Session

Parents, teachers and neighbors plan to pack a Monday work session to encourage Fairfax County School Board members to put an immediate end to involuntary school transfers and "interrogations" on the way to a complete system overhaul.

"We are taking this to the school board and will be there on Monday," said Caroline Hemenway, director of Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform, advocates for more student rights and fairer punishments. "We have more than 80 families involved now. We are working with state and national organizations to get meaningful change done here."

Fairfax County Public Schools has launched a website dedicated to information on the review process of the disciplinary procedures.

Reform supporters will be at the 9 a.m. meeting to address school discipline policies in Falls Church with these seven demands:

• Stop all involuntary school transfers of students (except when a threat to others).
• Record disciplinary hearings.
• Respect due process rights and involve parents from the get-go.
• Allow students to continue their studies during the disciplinary process. 
• Consider mitigating circumstances.
• Respond and fill FOIA requests as required by law.
• Use an objective third party to mediate during disciplinary hearings. 
• Make principals accountable for reductions in suspension and expulsion rates at their schools.

This is only the first in three months-worth of School Board review sessions. Superintendent Jack Dale will lead Monday's discussion. Click here to get a glimpse of what topics to expect.

Not familiar with the issue? Check out these links for more information:

The meeting will be held at Gatehouse Administration Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Rm. 1600, Falls Church.