Tampa Schools Encouraged Student Referrals to County Disciplinary Panel Down
The Tampa schools are a member of the Hillsborough County School District, in which the Disciplinary Committee resides. The disciplinary panel deals with the troubled youth who commit serious offenses and policy violations at school. The panel imposes such measures as expulsion or reassignment to another school.
This past school year of 2005-2006 had the lowest number of referrals to this disciplinary panel than any other since the 1998-1999 school year.
Tampa schools, along with the other school districts, have been trying harder to solve student problems in-school, before making referrals to the panel. This obviously has increased the number of in-school suspensions over previous years; however, the Tampa schools believe their mission is to teach children and you cannot teach those who are not attending school. Tampa schools have cautioned their principals to be more patient and tolerant with problem students, when their offenses do not hold a danger to other students, educators and school employees. Additionally, Tampa schools educators have been educating students more...