11-15-2008, 12:16 PM
Posting this here in case anyone missed it in Thursday's paper. I agree with Bill Anderson -mere membership in a gang should get the kid outta there. I read Dr. Lamping's warnings -but isn't that her job. FIND places for anyone who is disrupting the education of others. I've talked to High School kids...they need help.
Waukegan High grips harder on fighting, gang activities
Less tolerance, more expulsions could increase load on alternative schools
November 14, 2008
By RYAN PAGELOW <!-- e --><a href="mailto:rpagelow@scn1.com">rpagelow@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Instead of three strikes and you're out at Waukegan High School, students will be allowed only two strikes under changes to school policy regarding fighting and gang activity. The more severe penalties are meant to create a safer and stable environment at the school for about 4,000 students, but they could mean an increase in the number of students considered for placement in an alternative school or expulsion.
"We're taking three strikes away and making it two for all significant behaviors," Principal Steven Hamlin said.
» Click to enlarge image
Under changes to school policy regarding fighting and gang activity, students at Waukegan High who commit a second infraction, could be expelled.
(News-Sun file)
Caught the first time, students will be put on notice and required to sign a contract. On the second infraction, the student could be placed in an alternative education program or expelled.
The Waukegan School Board approved amending the parent/student handbook regarding physical altercations, battery to students, gang activity and drugs on Tuesday.
Previously, regulations allowed for various incidents to occur before a student could be considered for expulsion. So far this year, the high school has expelled a dozen students, Hamlin said.
"That is up from last year. We're more rigorous about enforcement," he said.
Students are expelled in abeyance, which means the students are placed in an alternative program, such as Ombudsman where students with disciplinary concerns work at their own pace on the computer. The district contracts Ombudsman Plus for students with special needs for about $280,000 a year for 30 seats, said Mary Lamping, chief academic officer. She warned that it could run out of placements. Other alternative education programs include the Alternative/Optional Education Center, Twilight School and the alternative program at the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
The high school is creating a gang book to identify students who are known gang members.
School Board member Bill Anderson said mere membership in a gang should be enough to expel a student because they could recruit others.
"The mere membership of being in a gang is a threat to students," he said.
Membership in a gang is not against the rules, Hamlin said, but it is against the rules to represent a gang through symbols, graffiti, speech, recruitment, violence or attendance at a gang activity at school, or on the way to or from school.
School Board member Anita Hanna said she was concerned about the pressure on alternative programs if expulsions increase.
"The AOEC is a premier program. I'm not looking for it to be a dumping ground. I don't want it to lose its effectiveness over there," Hanna said.
In addition to quicker expulsions, the school policy was amended to lift the ban on hooded sweatshirts because the heating system works unevenly in the old high school building. Previously, hoodies were banned because they could hide student faces, but that policy was hard to enforce. The ban is no longer necessary with metal detectors and cameras throughout the school, Hamlin said.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1279120,5_1_WA14_WAUKSKOOL_S1.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article</a><!-- m -->
Waukegan High grips harder on fighting, gang activities
Less tolerance, more expulsions could increase load on alternative schools
November 14, 2008
By RYAN PAGELOW <!-- e --><a href="mailto:rpagelow@scn1.com">rpagelow@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- Instead of three strikes and you're out at Waukegan High School, students will be allowed only two strikes under changes to school policy regarding fighting and gang activity. The more severe penalties are meant to create a safer and stable environment at the school for about 4,000 students, but they could mean an increase in the number of students considered for placement in an alternative school or expulsion.
"We're taking three strikes away and making it two for all significant behaviors," Principal Steven Hamlin said.
» Click to enlarge image
Under changes to school policy regarding fighting and gang activity, students at Waukegan High who commit a second infraction, could be expelled.
(News-Sun file)
Caught the first time, students will be put on notice and required to sign a contract. On the second infraction, the student could be placed in an alternative education program or expelled.
The Waukegan School Board approved amending the parent/student handbook regarding physical altercations, battery to students, gang activity and drugs on Tuesday.
Previously, regulations allowed for various incidents to occur before a student could be considered for expulsion. So far this year, the high school has expelled a dozen students, Hamlin said.
"That is up from last year. We're more rigorous about enforcement," he said.
Students are expelled in abeyance, which means the students are placed in an alternative program, such as Ombudsman where students with disciplinary concerns work at their own pace on the computer. The district contracts Ombudsman Plus for students with special needs for about $280,000 a year for 30 seats, said Mary Lamping, chief academic officer. She warned that it could run out of placements. Other alternative education programs include the Alternative/Optional Education Center, Twilight School and the alternative program at the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
The high school is creating a gang book to identify students who are known gang members.
School Board member Bill Anderson said mere membership in a gang should be enough to expel a student because they could recruit others.
"The mere membership of being in a gang is a threat to students," he said.
Membership in a gang is not against the rules, Hamlin said, but it is against the rules to represent a gang through symbols, graffiti, speech, recruitment, violence or attendance at a gang activity at school, or on the way to or from school.
School Board member Anita Hanna said she was concerned about the pressure on alternative programs if expulsions increase.
"The AOEC is a premier program. I'm not looking for it to be a dumping ground. I don't want it to lose its effectiveness over there," Hanna said.
In addition to quicker expulsions, the school policy was amended to lift the ban on hooded sweatshirts because the heating system works unevenly in the old high school building. Previously, hoodies were banned because they could hide student faces, but that policy was hard to enforce. The ban is no longer necessary with metal detectors and cameras throughout the school, Hamlin said.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1279120,5_1_WA14_WAUKSKOOL_S1.article">http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S1.article</a><!-- m -->