Student Kicked Out of School After Protest : Education: Other student who helped organize pro-homework demonstration is suspended for two days. The school’s reaction draws criticism from teachers and students.

Disciplinary action has been taken against two organizers of this week’s pro-homework student protest at Foothill High School, with one student kicked out of school and the other told to stay home for two days.

Edmund Cronin, 17, said he was told Thursday by Assistant Principal Pete Yoder that the interdistrict transfer that allows him to attend Foothill had been revoked. On Friday, Cronin said he went to school because he had not received any written notice of the revocation.

When he showed up for school, Cronin said Yoder removed him from his French class, asked him to clear out his locker and then escorted him to the edge of the campus.

Cronin and his parents said school administrators have not given any reason for the action, other than to say Cronin had angered Principal James Ryan. Cronin said he told the principal that students had a right to assemble peacefully.

“Of course, it’s because of the protest,” Cronin said. “But they haven’t said that, and they could say anything--they could say the school is overcrowded, or I don’t part my hair on the right side.”

Ryan declined comment, saying, “It is not legal or ethical for staff to discuss individual disciplinary actions.”

In the Wednesday demonstration, about 1,000 students refused to return to third period to protest last week’s decision by some teachers to stop assigning homework. The teachers, who have been working without a contract for 10 months, voted for the homework ban and other work slowdown measures to protest stalled contract negotiations.

Another organizer of the demonstration, student body Vice President Greg Amrofell, 17, received an informal two-day suspension. Amrofell, who drafted a letter of protest and read it aloud during the demonstration, said Ryan told him he would not receive a formal suspension because it would damage his school record.

Amrofell said he spent Thursday and Friday at home working on posters for his campaign for the Associated Student Body presidency, but was allowed to return to campus Friday for a noontime candidates’ forum.

“I think I was treated fairly,” Amrofell said. “Ed’s punishment was unreasonable. . . . They just had to show that they still have authority.”

Edmund Cronin’s parents and one of his teachers say the administration is making him a scapegoat.

“If he was treated the same as every other child that participated in the demonstration, then I wouldn’t be angry,” said his father, Alan Cronin.

Although most of the 1,300-member student body skipped third period during the demonstration, the administration is assigning punishment to the 110 who remained seated on the concrete after fourth period began. Those students have been placed on probation for the remainder of the year and will have letters of reprimand placed in their discipline files.

Cronin, who describes himself as opinionated, has been previously referred to the principal’s office for discipline. He said the most recent time was about two months ago when he left campus during lunch.

Steve Frogue, Cronin’s history teacher, said he had previously referred him to the principal’s office for minor misbehavior in class. But Frogue said that Cronin shouldn’t have been singled out for discipline.

“It’s as if the sins of the many are being visited upon one,” Frogue said. “He’s got a lot of opinions, and he’s a little headstrong, but that’s not uncommon for 16-year-olds or 17-year-olds. He’s a good kid to have in class.”

Frogue said that he and Cronin’s five other teachers asked Ryan on Thursday to reverse or reconsider his decision because they thought Cronin was being treated unfairly.

“(Ryan) said the decision was final, and he would not discuss it further,” Frogue said.

Frogue said he received a withdrawal slip in his mailbox Friday asking him to sign for Edmund Cronin’s grade. He does not plan to sign it.

Meanwhile, Edmund Cronin must find a way to finish out the 35 school days left in the semester. Cronin transferred to Foothill High from Santa Ana High School last year because more of his friends attend Foothill, Alan Cronin said, adding that he and his son have not decided where he will return to school.