ABC (13 WHAM)
Rochester, N.Y. – One in five students in the Rochester City School District was suspended in 2012 – sometimes for petty behavior, according to the District. But changes to the code of conduct could be on the way, and could change what sends children home.
For 10 months, a panel of more than 50 parents, students, teachers and community members worked to develop the draft of the new 65-page code of conduct. MORE: RCSD proposes code of conduct changes.
The high rate of suspensions prompted the changes.
“Most of (the suspensions) are for things that are relatively minor,” said Rochester School Board member Malik Evans. “We need to decrease those, because the more seat time we have for our students, the better they can do academically.”
The proposal would create a four-tiered approach to discipline, only calling for suspensions for harmful and serious offenses.
“We are going to give more support to our students,” said RCSD Superintendent Bolgen Vargas. “Our belief is that if we support our students, and we have high expectations, and we work with their families and the community and the school, then we can change the challenges we’re facing with suspensions.”
The proposed code is shorter, easier to understand and gives students and teachers more flexibility – one of many steps Superintendent Vargas says he hopes will change the culture of the District.
“We have added more art, music, sports, more counseling, more social work – because we do believe that if we have support for our students and teachers, then we will create a better learning environment,” Vargas said.
There are concerns about the potential of students getting too much freedom. That is why the District is seeking public input on the proposal.
A vote from the School Board could happen later this fall. For more on the current and proposed codes of conduct, click here.