Only a few tinkerings to the discipline system will result from the recommendations of the Charlottesville schools’ Discipline Task Force. Then interim superintendent, Bobby Thompson, appointed that group of 25 parents, students, teachers and principals after last year’s well-publicized violent incidents in City schools—particularly at Buford Middle School, where reportedly 13 staff members were threatened or assaulted. The City School Board received the proposals in July, and new Superintendent Rosa Atkins quickly moved to implement many of the most important changes.
For most students, not much will be changed. Parents will notice a few pieces of paper they haven’t seen before—principally, a “mutual accountability agreement” that spells out the roles of students, parents, teachers and administrators. The agreement is nonbinding, but the idea is to set up accountability and expectations among all parties involved.
“We’re not foolish enough to think this is a panacea,” says Task Force member and parent Grant Brownrigg. “The School Board wasn’t all that enthusiastic about it at first, but many persons on the task force said this was the most important thing we recommended.”
The task force examined changes to the Code of Conduct (which was due for review anyway), but most changes were in format and not in actual policy. Because the Code of Conduct is a legal document, little could be altered to simplify the language—so instead parents this year will see a “Highlights” version, which boils 40 pages of policy to three and a half pages written at a more accessible level.
In terms of cost and procedure, the biggest changes come to the alternative school, for those students who are suspended long term. It returns to a full-day schedule this year—last year it was only a half-day program, which left problem kids with less school time and more street time. Administrators say they will hold re-entry conferences with students returning from the alternative school and also ensure that they get assignments in a “timely manner.”
As for a presumed gang problem, the task force recommended punting it to the City Council, requesting they set up a city-wide task force on the issue.
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