Pubdate: Fri, 12 Dec 2008
Source: Groton Landmark (MA)
Copyright: 2008 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Nashoba Publications
Contact:  http://www.grotonlandmark.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3436
Author: Pierre Comtois
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

PARENTS OBJECT TO ACTION OVER MARIJUANA BUST

GROTON -- Parents upset over disciplinary action taken against their 
children by the administration brought their grievances before the 
Groton-Dunstable Regional School Committee in hopes of having the 
infractions expunged from their children's records.

The action was spurred by a recent incident in which four high school 
students were caught with marijuana on school grounds. Subject to 
disciplinary review, they were subsequently suspended from classes 
until the end of the current semester.

High School Principal Shelley Marcus Cohen had recommended expulsion 
for at least one of the students, but the expulsion was later 
overruled by Superintendent Alan Genovese.

In her defense, Cohen said that when she was first hired as the 
school's new principal, she was specifically asked if she would be 
strict on enforcing the ban on illegal drugs on campus. She vowed 
that she would be; thus her reason for seeking expulsion.

However, parents of the students affected complained that in 
disciplining their children, the school administration did not follow 
its own policies.

One parent read from the district's policy book at the School 
Committee meeting on Dec. 3, citing a three-stage procedure that 
calls for a five-day suspension for first-time offenders, with 
expulsion only after the third offense.

The parent further claimed that the review of the students' cases was 
not done impartially, as required in school disciplinary policies.

Why, she wanted to know, was her son chosen to be expelled on his 
first offense?

Genovese replied that if any exceptions were made, they were made by 
the administration to keep the district schools completely drug-free 
and for student safety.

Still, it was Genovese who had stepped in to review the sole 
expulsion case and he chose to change it to a simple suspension.

"Every case is carefully reviewed and is slightly different," Genovese said.

Parents, however, were still concerned that even with disciplinary 
action reduced to suspensions, there would be black marks on their 
children's records.

"Kids make mistakes," the mother insisted.

Hopes for intervention by the School Committee were in vain. Parents 
were told by committee Chairman Paul Funch that individual 
disciplinary matters were out of the hands of the School Committee.

Not mollified by the superintendent's explanations, the parent 
insisted that it was the responsibility of the schools to educate 
their children and not to discipline them or try to change their 
behavior. That was the responsibility of parents, she said.

Genovese acknowledged that the problem was a behavioral one and one 
that ought to be a concern to the community outside the schools. But 
when outside actions threaten the classroom, it becomes the concern 
of the administration, he said.

Because parents had brought their concerns before the School 
Committee during the public comment portion of the meeting, the issue 
could not be discussed at length.

In the end, parents had to be content with a promise by Genovese to 
review their children's cases.

According to Cohen, there have been a total of six instances of drug 
possession at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School this year 
including the four at issue last week.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom